03 December 2024
Maria Lucento
Email:
[FYI request #29070 email]
Ref: DOIA-REQ-0006072-Maria Lucento
Tēnā koe Maria Lucento
Thank you for your request via the FYI website of 5/11/2024 to the Ministry of Business,
Innovation and Employment (MBIE) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act), the following information:
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.
As context, your request notes that Genomics Aotearoa was funded as a Strategic Science
Investment Fund Infrastructure platform. You also reference the following definitions of
infrastructure from the New Zealand Treasury and the New Zealand Infrastructure
Commission
• The New Zealand Treasury: "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."
• The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga: "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 Strategic Science Investment Fund Investment Plan 2017-2024
(Strategic Science
Investment Fund: Investment Plan 2017 - 2024), which outlines Government’s intentions for
the SSIF Fund, and Government’s expectations for current and future investments until
2024, defines SSIF Infrastructure (page 6) as:
• “Funding for national research infrastructure platforms that provide access to
research technology, facilities, infrastructure, Nationally Significant Collections and
Databases, and associated support services.”
While SSIF Infrastructure funding could be used for infrastructure as defined by the Treasury
and The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga, it can also be used for other
purposes with the SSIF Infrastructure definition above.
Genomics Aotearoa was funded to ensure that New Zealand is internationally participating
in and leading the rapidly developing fields of genomics and bioinformatics. It does not fund
infrastructure as defined by the Treasury and The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission
Te Waihanga. Genomics Aotearoa accesses computing infrastructure through a partnership
with the National e-Science Infrastructure platform, which is funded through SSIF
Infrastructure: see
https://www.nesi.org.nz/.
Examples of the types of research activities undertaken through the Genomics Aotearoa
platform are available at the webs
ite https://www.genomics-aotearoa.org.nz/. For a recent stocktake of science infrastructure in New Zealand, see
https://www.kitmap.govt.nz/.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any
further assistance, please contac
t [email address].
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Trevor Drage
Manager Strategic Investments
Science System Investment and Performance
