Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment provided funding for Genomics Aotearoa a $39.752 million 7 year infrastructure platform which concluded on 30 June 2024. I am writing to request information under the Official Information Act.

According to the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, Genomics Aotearoa was funded as an infrastructure platform:

"Genomics Aotearoa is funded as a SSIF Infrastructure Platform...."
(https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-tec...)

While the Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF) supports both research programmes and scientific infrastructure, Genomics Aotearoa's funding came from the Infrastructure category as noted above. MBIE describes the SSIF as follows:

"The Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF) supports strategic investment in research programmes and scientific infrastructure that have long-term beneficial impact on New Zealand’s health, economy, environment and society."

"SSIF Infrastructure provides funding for access to and development of large-scale research infrastructure that is needed to undertake research in priority areas."

(https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-tec...)

The New Zealand Treasury and the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission define infrastructure similarly to one another.

The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga defines infrastructure in their glossary (https://tewaihanga.govt.nz/the-strategy/...):

"Infrastructure: Fixed, long-lived structures that facilitate economic performance and wellbeing. Infrastructure includes ‘horizontal’ physical networks (principally transport, water and energy and telecommunications); and ‘vertical’ infrastructure (buildings such as hospitals, schools and prisons). The latter are also known as social assets."

The Treasury describes infrastructure as (https://www.treasury.govt.nz/information...):

"Infrastructure refers to the fixed, long-lived structures that facilitate the production of goods and services, including transport, water, energy, social assets, and digital infrastructure such as our broadband and mobile networks."

Under the Official Information Act, I request any documents (including but not limited to: press releases, reports, emails, and digital presentations) having to do with infrastructure built with funding provided by MBIE to Genomics Aotearoa that meets either the Infrastructure Commission's or the Treasury's description of infrastructure above.

Yours faithfully,

Maria Lucento