Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says physics, chemistry and maths, have a greater impact on the economy. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Humanities and social sciences research funding will be slashed under the government's cuts to the Marsden Fund.
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collinsannounced the cuts to the Marsden Fund - a grant for scientific research, with proposals judged by independent panels - this afternoon.
Collins said humanities and social sciences would no longer be supported, and the panels would be disbanded by next year.
Areas such as physics, chemistry, maths, engineering and biomedical sciences made more of an impact on the economy, she said.
"The government has been clear in its mandate to rebuild our economy. We are focused on a system that supports growth, and a science sector that drives high-tech, high-productivity, high-value businesses and jobs.
"I have updated the Marsden Fund Investment Plan and Terms of Reference to ensure that future funding is going to science that helps to meet this goal ... The focus of the Fund will shift to core science ... Real impact on our economy will come from areas such as physics, chemistry, maths, engineering and biomedical sciences."
Collins said it was important to note only 50 percent of funding needed to show economic benefit, and the Marsden Fund would continue to support research where the benefit may not be immediately apparent.
The Fund is administered by the Royal Society Te Apārangi and overseen by a Marsden Fund Council appointed by the Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.
Applications for funding are sent for external review before being being assessed by experts before being present to the Marsden Fund Council and the Royal Society.
Collins' announcement was welcomed by ACT, with science, innovation, and technology spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar saying taxpayer money needed to focus on research that delivered tangible benefits "for society and the economy".
"Today's changes will help to ensure that this funding delivers a long-term benefit for New Zealand."
But the Green Party said the decision to cut all humanities and social sciences research funding was a massive step backwards.
"Social sciences are critical in shining a light on some of the injustices and inequalities of society, things this government would prefer to keep in the dark," science and research spokesperson Scott Willis said.
He said social science research was a critical part of the ongoing critique and improvement of society.
"This ideology-driven government doesn't value evidence-based policy where it doesn't align with its focus on short-sighted economics.
"The uncertainty this creates among a sector that is already chronically under-funded cannot be under-estimated.
"The government has a key role in encouraging and supporting high-quality research for the benefit of New Zealand.
"We can and must invest in research if we want to find answers to our most pressing problems."
The New Zealand Association of Scientists said receiving the announcement was "chilling".
Co-president Troy Baisden said these cuts doubled down on the end of National Science Challenges, "where social science was one of the cost-effective bright spots that emerged".
"It appears that we're defunding our ability to understand and address some of our most important challenges."
Collins has also announced an updated plan for the Catalyst Fund.
The Catalyst Fund - previously the International Relationships Fund - invests in international collaboration opportunities across the sector.
She said it was part of a more strategic approach to science funding across the board, with New Zealanders expecting publicly-funded research delivering clear benefits.
The new plan focused on quantum technology, health, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, space, and Antarctic research, she said.
"All proposals must demonstrate high-impact research of relevance and importance to New Zealand. This will guide our investment in emerging international science opportunities."
Baisden said attempting to extract economic outcomes undermined the quality of the collaborations as well as their long-term benefits.
"With ongoing cuts, we must be sadly asking, what funding is left for these areas and where do we expect our excellent researchers and collaborators to go? What does it signal about research careers or that the research system supports New Zealand's unique needs?"
'Absolutely disgusted'
MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology co-director Professor Nicola Gaston said she was "horrified" by today's announcement.
"I am absolutely disgusted by the way that the kind of science I, and my colleagues do - as physical scientists involved in research that is purposeful, focused on solutions to climate and sustainability challenges, that do have real economic value - is being weaponised against our colleagues in the humanities and the social sciences.
"The work that our colleagues in the humanities and social sciences do is incredibly important. We can do all the work in developing clean technologies we want, but if we don't understand the barriers to people purchasing that tech? It becomes useless."
Microbiologist and Associate Professor Dr Siouxsie Wiles said the Covid-19 pandemic proved how valuable the country's humanities and social science scholars and researchers were.
"It's not scientists who understand how best to vaccinate people and what barriers might be faced."
She said the Marsden Fund was the only government fund to support humanities and social sciences research
"Refocusing the fund to focus on 'science with a purpose' ignores the evidence of the incredible impact of Marsden funded research of all kinds and is going to have enormous negative ramifications for Aotearoa New Zealand. It is naïve to think that we can tackle the current and future challenges we face as a country and a world without our humanities and social science scholars and their research."
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