3736 NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE No. 179

Variation in Annual Funding Levels

3. The foundation should fund within the range of the 1992–93 funding and the proposed 1997–98 funding by aggregate in each year, given that research programmes which fulfil criteria are available.

Annex E: Development of Science Area Research Strategies

Science Area Research Strategies

1. The foundation should develop long-term science area research strategies, at the level of individual outputs where output funding levels are stipulated in Annex C, but otherwise at the level of the output aggregations listed in Annex B. These long-term research strategies are to be formally advised to the Minister of Research, Science and Technology, before they are implemented and before significant shifts are made in funding away from existing levels for the outputs covered by each strategy. Guidelines for the development of the transition strategy and science area research strategies are as follows:

Strategic Directions

2. Science area research strategies should be in accordance with the strategic goals set out in Annex A and should take account of the indicative funding levels by output, as developed by the STEP and set out in Annex C.

Core Programmes and Key Competencies

3. Science area research strategies should aim to maintain the key competencies and core programmes required to achieve the strategic goals. To this end key competencies and the distribution of competencies between science providers should be identified in the research strategies.

Impact on Science Providers

4. Research strategies should contain sufficient information to enable the likely financial and human resource impact of the strategies on science providers, within the group of outputs or the output considered by each strategy, to be determined.

Private Sector and Non-PGSF Funding

5. Each strategy should include a consideration of the level of private sector and non-PGSF funding proposed or expected in that area of science. Strategies should take account of overall funding in the area, so as to minimise transitional difficulties and enhance complementarity between funding sources. Any structural difficulties in the private sector mobilising funding to adequately support the Government’s strategic intentions as set out in the priority statement should be reported.

Impact of National Science Strategies

6. The foundation should carefully consider the impact of National Science Strategy research on other research in particular science areas, in developing and implementing science area research strategies.

Annex F: Priority Research Themes

Priority research themes will continue to be specified by the Government, recognising that themes may need to be modified as long-term research strategies are developed in each science area.

Priority themes are areas of research the Government considers of high relevance for funding from the Public Good Science Fund. The order of themes does not imply any preferential priority ranking.

This annex sets out in detail, in a modified format, the framework for priority themes. The structure consists of three tiers of themes:

• generic themes across all or a large number of output classes;
• cross-output topic themes; and
• specific output class topic themes.

Generic Themes Across Outputs

The Panel considers that generic themes which apply to all or a large number of output classes should be established. The themes recommended are:

• Sustainable development which seeks to incorporate environmental integrity and economic efficiency, to pursue equity, defined to include present and future generations and to recognise cultural as well as economic considerations
• Relevant social research in every appropriate output class.
• Relevant environmental research in appropriate output classes.
• Implications for Māori cultural and economic development in appropriate output classes.

Cross-Output Topic Themes

Control of Possums and the Threat of Bovine Tb

The National Science Strategy Committee on Possums/Tb has reconfirmed the following themes which are the same as those in the 1992–93 Priority Statement:

• The epidemiology of Tb in farmed and feral animal species and control of Tb through biological means.
• The ecology of possums and other feral animals which may be vectors for Tb.
• Development of systems for controlling the possum population in New Zealand emphasising biological control systems and toxins alternative to 1080.

Climate Change

The National Science Strategy Committee on Climate Change has recently reported back to Cabinet. The report selected seven priority areas for additional emphasis within a wide ranging climate change programme. The Panel notes the recommendations of the Committee and lists the following priority areas:

• This country’s responsibility for New Zealand/Southwest Pacific/Antarctic regional monitoring and modelling of changes in atmosphere composition, atmosphere and ocean climate, and sea levels including historical records.