Two new appointments have been made to the Board of Callaghan Innovation that will provide a new set of skills and business experience, Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith announced today.

“The appointment of Mr Stefan Korn and Mr George Gong brings a strong combination of strategic thinking skills and perspective from an investor community,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Stefan Korn is an experienced entrepreneur, business strategist and investor with over 10 years of experience in managing high growth ventures, early stage investment and software development. He was a member of the Callaghan Innovation Stakeholder Advisory Group, is a founding investor in Lightning Lab, and has a PhD in Neural Networks/Artificial Intelligence and an MBA in International Business.

George Gong is an entrepreneur and Angel Investor with rich international business experiences in the Information Technology industry for over twenty years. In 2016 he started Zino Ventures, the first Chinese angel fund in New Zealand.

“Mr Korn has extensive business connections and a strong understanding of Callaghan Innovation’s role in the innovation system. He currently runs CreativeHQ, a leading business incubator that works with over 190 start-up ventures so brings excellent understanding of innovation,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“Mr Gong maintains deep roots in China, where he began his career, and notably co-founded Beyondsoft. With his extensive experience with start-ups, investment, business mentoring, he will be an asset to Callaghan.”

Both of the appointments are for a term of one year.

Work has begun on the improvements to New Zealand’s geological hazards monitoring as announced in Budget 2017, Civil Defence Minister Nathan Guy and Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith have announced today.

The start of work was marked on a visit to a geotechnical drilling site at St Gerard’s Monastery in Wellington this morning.

“The investment of $19.5 million over four years will enhance New Zealand’s earthquake, tsunami, landslip and volcano monitoring capability,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“Cabinet has approved plans to implement an upgraded 24/7 monitoring system that will significantly improve our ability to detect and communicate geological hazards – particularly tsunami – quickly and accurately.

“As part of a package of measures, GeoNet will increase the number of specialists monitoring information as it comes in and will coordinate with Civil Defence as necessary. There will also be improvements to GeoNet’s network of monitoring instruments, operations centre, hazard modelling, and monitoring tools.

“These enhancements build on the existing GeoNet infrastructure, developed between the Earthquake Commission and GNS Science over the past 16 years, which has become a trusted source of advice for Civil Defence and New Zealanders through the app and website,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“These changes will mean New Zealanders are better equipped with both long-term and real-time information about natural hazards,” says Mr Guy.

“We can better protect lives and property, increase preparedness and build our infrastructure, businesses and communities in ways that are more resilient to disruption.

“It’s an important shift away from simply managing the after effects of disasters. There is so much we can do when we are equipped with both long-term and real-time information about natural hazards.

“However, people who live in coastal areas and experience an earthquake that is long or strong, should move immediately to higher ground or as far inland as possible. There may not be time to warn people before the first tsunami waves arrive, in the case of local-source tsunami, even with these improvements.”

“Following the Kaikoura earthquake, the Government made $3 million available in December 2016 for GeoNet to make interim improvements to capability, equipment, procedures and systems, and lay the groundwork for longer term upgrades. This work is well underway and I expect to see a full shift to the new system by the end of next year,” Mr Goldsmith says.

More information can be found HERE.

New Zealand will invest AU$15.1 million in a programme to construct several new beamlines at the Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne and secure long-term access for Kiwi scientists, Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith announced today.

“The Synchrotron is a powerful experimental tool that plays an important role in lifting the quality and impact of New Zealand research,” says Mr Goldsmith.

“Accelerating charged particles such as electrons to near the speed of light, the Synchrotron enables fields of study that are diverse and far-reaching.

“AU$6 million will go towards the construction of new beamlines for the facility, and will be matched by the research sector through the New Zealand Synchrotron Group.”

A further AU$9.1 million will also be invested over the next nine years to secure preferential access to the Synchrotron for Kiwi scientists.

“The new Bio-SAXS beamline will be used to study things like proteins and viruses and will be a priority beamline for New Zealand researchers. It will give them access to new specialised techniques needed for high quality research and innovation,” Mr Goldsmith says.

The research outcomes from the Bio-SAXS beamline will cover national research priorities ranging from the development of advanced biomaterials and biotechnologies, through to breakthroughs in medical research.

“Recently the Synchrotron helped New Zealand scientists develop a drug that could be used to treat multiple diseases such as cancer, stroke and hypertension. It has also been used for research into volcanic activity in New Zealand to help researchers better recognise any warning signs of an eruption,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“This is a prime example of successful collaboration between Australia and New Zealand under the Science, Research and Innovation Cooperation Agreement signed earlier this year.

“The developments at the Synchrotron are an exciting opportunity for the New Zealand research community that will provide far reaching benefits to New Zealand.”

The design of the new beamlines is planned to start in 2018 with two beamlines becoming operational by the end of the year. In the second year two more complex beamlines will be developed.

New data that shows the employment status and earnings of graduates from tertiary institutions will provide students with a valuable tool when making important decisions about their study options, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

The new Employment Outcomes of Tertiary Education data includes all Universities, Wānanga, and Polytechnics, and some government funded Private Training Establishments.

“A tertiary education is a significant choice for young people to make, and while the costs can seem daunting, the financial benefits after graduation can be significant,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“It’s important for students and their families to have the best information possible to help them make informed choices about their significant investment in tertiary education.

“Although many factors go into making a decision on what and where to study, students expect their investment in tertiary education to improve their career prospects. This new data will help students ensure they are making the best decision for their future.”

For the first time, students are able to compare graduates’ earnings by provider, accompanying the ability to compare earnings by qualification level and field of study at national-level which was introduced in 2013.

“The provider-level data on graduates’ employment status and earnings builds on the current data by allowing students to see whether graduates in their chosen field of study have different employment outcomes at different providers,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Publication of the employment outcomes data continues the progress towards a more student-centred system. This is one of the four key areas of work underway in response to the Productivity Commission report, New Models of Tertiary Education.

Students can compare earnings by qualification and field of study on the TEC’s careers.govt.nz website. They can also download the Occupation Outlook app, which gives an easy-to-use overview of the job demand, likely income levels, and training requirements for 108 different occupations.

The employment status and earnings data is from Statistics New Zealand, and is gathered by matching data on income, benefits, immigration, and tertiary qualifications on a confidential basis.

“The Government is committed to ensuring that our tertiary education system is relevant for both employers and students, and with this new data we are giving tertiary providers the power to make sure that their courses are relevant, and students the ability to make study choices that will benefit them,” Mr Goldsmith says.

The employment outcomes data by provider is available at education.govt.nz.

The Government will establish a new School of Rural Medicine within the next three years to produce more doctors for our rural communities, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“Every New Zealander deserves quality healthcare services, and we want to grow the number of doctors in rural and regional areas to make it easier for people in those areas to access other key health services,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“The new School of Rural Medicine will be specifically geared toward meeting the challenges faced by high need and rural areas of the country, and will produce around 60 additional doctors per year.

“I want to thank the University of Waikato and the Waikato DHB for putting forward the initial proposal, and Otago and Auckland Medical Schools for their joint proposal.

“The Government will now run a contestable business case process to consider all options for delivering the new School of Rural Medicine, and ensure it meets the needs of rural New Zealand.

“It is our intention that the successful applicant will be known in 2018 with the new medical school to be up and operating no later than 2020.”

The cost of the new school will be finalised through the business case process, but for example the Waikato proposal is seeking Government funding of around $300 million over ten years.

The Government’s contribution will be met through a combination of existing tertiary funding streams and future operating and capital budget allowances.

“The Government is committed to growing our medical workforce to meet the needs of a growing and ageing population,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“Since 2008 this Government has increased the number of medical students by 47 per cent, with over 530 doctors now being trained annually.

“The new School of Rural Medicine will add to this number, increasing particularly the number of doctors qualified for, and committed to, serving in rural communities.”

New Zealand will provide AUD $350,000 in funding for a collaboration between New Zealand’s Nyriad Ltd and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research in Western Australia (ICRAR), Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced today.

The funding is in response to a request from the Australian government to support a project that will develop and test an operating system for managing enormous amounts of science data in real time

“Australia is a major science and innovation partner for New Zealand, and this new collaboration is another step sign that our relationship continues to grow and thrive following the signing of the Cooperation Agreement earlier this year,” Mr Goldsmith says.

The technology has the potential to be applied to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope, the world’s largest scientific venture.

“There is no supercomputer system yet in existence that can handle the data that the SKA will generate. This project is looking to solve the high performance computing challenges of the future, and places Nyriad at the forefront of this potentially game-changing technology,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Nyriad is a Cambridge-based company specialising in advanced data storage solutions for big data and high performance computing.

It has developed pioneering technology for performing data processing and storage together on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). ICRAR is a joint venture between the University of Western Australia and Curtin University, with funding from the Western Australian state government.

The project will use the hardware and data from the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) radio telescope in Western Australia to test Nyriad’s technology. The MWA is a precursor telescope to the SKA.

The funding will come from the Catalyst Fund managed by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment. The Catalyst Fund supports international collaborations which have strategic benefit to New Zealand.

The third of the Government’s three ICT Graduate Schools, formally launched at an event in Christchurch today, will develop the ICT skills of current industry professionals, teachers, and new students, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Paul Goldsmith says.

The South Island ICT Graduate Network and Laboratory (SIGNAL), is a consortium between the University of Canterbury, Lincoln University, University of Otago, Otago Polytechnic, and the Ara Institute of Canterbury, and has sites in Christchurch and Dunedin. The opening event included its Dunedin campus via video link.

“New Zealand’s ICT sector is now a significant contributor to the economy, with more than 11,000 firms employing nearly 30,000 people, and contributing $3.6 billion to our economy,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“For New Zealand students and firms to take advantage of this growth, we must ensure we can supply high-tech professionals with the right skills to work in the sector.”

ICT Graduate Schools are designed to provide innovative, industry focused ICT education, research and development through collaboration between tertiary providers, industry and stakeholders.

“In such a fast-moving industry, it is important our ICT tertiary education providers and businesses are well connected to ensure graduates have the right skills and aptitudes, and enable research and the exchange of knowledge to benefit both businesses and academia.”

In Budget 2014, Government invested $28.6 million over four years to establish three ICT graduate schools. The other ICT graduate schools have been established in Auckland (with delivery in Auckland and Hamilton) and Wellington.

“ICT graduate schools are a unique opportunity for businesses and ICT education providers to collaborate on education and research that will drive greater productivity and innovation, and contribute to New Zealand’s economic success,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“Through this approach, we will see ICT graduates with work-relevant, business-focused skills which will enable more direct pathways from education into employment.

“This kind of collaborative innovation is critical for the success of New Zealand’s ICT sector and the wider economy,” Mr Goldsmith says.

The third of the Government’s three ICT Graduate Schools, formally launched at an event in Christchurch today, will develop the ICT skills of current industry professionals, teachers, and new students, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Paul Goldsmith says.

The South Island ICT Graduate Network and Laboratory (SIGNAL), is a consortium between the University of Canterbury, Lincoln University, University of Otago, Otago Polytechnic, and the Ara Institute of Canterbury, and has sites in Christchurch and Dunedin. The opening event included its Dunedin campus via video link.

“New Zealand’s ICT sector is now a significant contributor to the economy, with more than 11,000 firms employing nearly 30,000 people, and contributing $3.6 billion to our economy,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“For New Zealand students and firms to take advantage of this growth, we must ensure we can supply high-tech professionals with the right skills to work in the sector.”

ICT Graduate Schools are designed to provide innovative, industry focused ICT education, research and development through collaboration between tertiary providers, industry and stakeholders.

“In such a fast-moving industry, it is important our ICT tertiary education providers and businesses are well connected to ensure graduates have the right skills and aptitudes, and enable research and the exchange of knowledge to benefit both businesses and academia.”

In Budget 2014, Government invested $28.6 million over four years to establish three ICT graduate schools. The other ICT graduate schools have been established in Auckland (with delivery in Auckland and Hamilton) and Wellington.

“ICT graduate schools are a unique opportunity for businesses and ICT education providers to collaborate on education and research that will drive greater productivity and innovation, and contribute to New Zealand’s economic success,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“Through this approach, we will see ICT graduates with work-relevant, business-focused skills which will enable more direct pathways from education into employment.

“This kind of collaborative innovation is critical for the success of New Zealand’s ICT sector and the wider economy,” Mr Goldsmith says.

The start of a joint $200 million development between Lincoln University and AgResearch demonstrates a strong commitment to agricultural research and teaching in Canterbury, Tertiary Education Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“Today is a major milestone for agricultural science in New Zealand and its benefits will extend to the whole of the primary sector,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“Our primary sector is world class and helps to drive our economy. We want to ensure that the science and skills underpinning the sector are also world class.”

A ground-breaking ceremony was held today for the five-building facility at Lincoln to house around 700 staff from Lincoln University, AgResearch and Dairy NZ.

“Students want to study in the best facilities and learn from the best. The environment around them makes a big difference both to their experience of studying, and to choosing to go there in the first place,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“This investment from the Government, Lincoln University and AgResearch allows both institutions to deliver that quality experience for not only students, but teachers, and researchers as well.

With the closer linking of research and teaching and scientific disciplines, students can be immersed in the very best agricultural science.”

The new facility is a significant physical and financial undertaking, with a total floor area of 27,000 square metres, or nearly three hectares.

“Both Lincoln University and AgResearch’s facilities were damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes and the Government was keen to see a new joint facility between the two to increase research collaboration.

“This is a stake in the ground for the future of agricultural research in New Zealand and will mean new ways of working and learning for everyone involved.

“Removing the barriers between university and industry researchers and introducing the best new facilities will be key for attracting the best staff and students for years to come.”

The Government is contributing $85 million to Lincoln University for the project, with the rest coming from AgResearch and Lincoln themselves. The new buildings will be a key part of the Lincoln Hub – a specialist land-based innovation cluster in partnership with Lincoln University, AgResearch, Plant and Food Research, Landcare Research and DairyNZ.

The release of new Regulatory Stewardship Strategies by the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and Inland Revenue have been welcomed today by Regulatory Reform Minister Paul Goldsmith.

“Regulations take effect in complex and rapidly changing contexts, so regulatory agencies must regularly review them to ensure their regulatory systems are fit-for-purpose,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“The release of these strategies shows the progress that government departments and agencies are making. The strategies are a key tool in building a regulatory management system with high standards.”

The strategies set out each department’s approach to long-term, pro-active management of its regulatory systems. The departments have looked across each of their systems to identify how each is working in practice.

Design, delivery and maintenance of high quality regulation requires the collaborative effort of many government agencies and multiple stakeholders. Over time, departments will increase their focus on external stakeholder’s input to the assessments.

“I encourage all those with an interest in quality government regulation to start this process now by taking a close look at these strategies. Let the departments know what you think about what they are doing and plan to do. Tell them what you think about their assessments, and where they can be improved,” Mr Goldsmith says.

The regulatory stewardship strategies of the departments will be published on their websites. They will also be available on the Treasury website at: www.treasury.govt.nz/regulation/fitforpurpose.