Science System Advisory Group National Research Priorities

Erin Cordiff made this Official Information request to Judith Collins

Currently waiting for a response from Judith Collins, they must respond promptly and normally no later than November 29, 2024 (details and exceptions).

From: Erin Cordiff

November 01, 2024

Dear Judith Collins,

In your role as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology you commissioned the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG). The work being undertaken by this group is complex, with multiple important aspects and anticipated outcomes. One key focus is the process by which national research priorities are established and actioned. Given the ongoing nature of this work, it would be prudent to pause any long-term funding decisions for activities or groups that are not time sensitive. This will help to ensure that the processes being developed are not preemptively undermined.

There’s been mention that MBIE plans to fund Genomics Aotearoa (https://www.genomics-aotearoa.org.nz) from January 2025 through to 2030. Genomics Aotearoa’s initial funding, which wrapped up on 30th June 2024, amounted to $39.752 million over seven years. Much of the work they delivered in that time came from research programmes they designed and selected internally. There are some concerns about a second round of funding being arranged without transparency and outside of the processes the SSAG is developing. A key concern is around who is setting national research priorities in such a significant and wide-reaching area of research.

Hoping to alleviate this concern, I am requesting under the OIA, any documents that you or the SSAG have in regards to:

- Genomics Aotearoa and the the process of determining national research priorities.
- The funding of Genomics Aotearoa after 30th June 2024.

Yours faithfully,

Erin Cordiff

Link to this

From: Judith Collins (MIN)
Judith Collins

November 01, 2024

Thank you for contacting Hon Judith Collins KC MP, Attorney-General,
Minister of Defence, Minister for Digitising Government, Minister
Responsible for the GCSB, Minister Responsible for the NZSIS, Minister of
Science, Innovation, & Technology, Minister for Space, and Lead
Coordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal
Commission's Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques.
The Minister considers all correspondence important and appreciates you
taking the time to write. As the Minister receives a large amount of
correspondence, it is not always possible to personally reply to all
emails.
If your correspondence is related to a constituent matter, please get in
touch with the Minister's electorate team by email:
[email address]
or by calling (09) 2997426.
If your correspondence is diary related, requests will be processed
accordingly and we will be back in contact with you. If your
correspondence requires a response, you can expect a response in due
course.
If your correspondence relates to another Minister's portfolio, your
correspondence will be transferred to the appropriate Minister.
If your correspondence expresses an opinion, it will be noted.
If you have made a request for official information, this will be managed
in accordance with the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982,
which may include transfer to another Minister or agency.
If your request relates to media, it will be referred to the media team.
Latest information from the Beehive can be found here:
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/
If you are concerned about someone's wellbeing, you can call your local
mental health crisis team or NZ Police.
Thank you for taking the time to write.

Kind regards
Office of Hon Judith Collins KC MP

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link to this

From: Hon Judith Collins

November 05, 2024

Dear Erin,

This is our acknowledgment of your OIA request.

Warm regards,

Office of Hon Judith Collins KC MP

Member of Parliament for Papakura
Attorney-General | Minister of Defence | Minister for Digitising Government | Minister Responsible for the GCSB Minister Responsible for the NZSIS | Minister of Science, Innovation & Technology | Minister for Space

Email: [email address] Website: www.Beehive,govt.nz
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand

Authorised by Hon Judith Collins KC, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the author by replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.
Please note information about meetings related to the Ministers’ portfolios will be proactively released (this does not include personal or constituency matters). For each meeting in scope, the summary would list: date, time (start and finish), brief description, location, who the meeting was with, and the portfolio. If you attend a meeting with the Minister on behalf of an organisation, the name of the organisation will be released. If you are a senior staff member at an organisation, or meet with the Minister in your personal capacity, your name may also be released. The location of the meeting will be released, unless it is a private residence. The proactive release will be consistent with the provisions in the Official Information Act, including privacy considerations. Under the Privacy Act 1993 you have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you’d like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, or are concerned about the release of your information in the meeting disclosure, please contact the sender. You can read more about the proactive release policy at https://www.dia.govt.nz/Proactive-Releas...

show quoted sections