ISSUED 03 August 2001
CONTENTS
Catching the Knowledge Wave
Prime Minister Helen Clark and at least eight other cabinet ministers were part of the Catching the Knowledge Wave conference in Auckland this week. The three-day conference, jointly hosted by the University of Auckland and the government, explored new ways of creating economic prosperity and social well-being. The conference brought together about 450 people from a broad cross-section of the community - government, business, education, research, Maori and community organisations. The 30 speakers included a top international cast, including Taiwanese Nobel Laureate Dr Yuan Lee, lateral thinker Edward de Bono, Ireland's 'jobs machine' boss Sean Dorgan and former Australian prime minister Paul Keating. Helen Clark said the conference was about developing a shared vision for what is possible for New Zealand. The conference focused on five major themes: innovation and creativity; people and capability, sustainable economic strategies; entrepreneurship; and social cohesion and the knowledge divide.
Framework for innovation
At the Knowledge Wave conference Helen Clark released the Science and Innovation Advisory Council report that proposes an innovation framework for New Zealand.
The council, chaired by a leading figure in management and industry, Rick Christie, was appointed last year by Helen Clark to provide advice on how to best position New Zealand as a knowledge-driven economy and society.
The SIAC report, An Innovation Framework for New Zealand, is an important element in the government's commitment to economic transformation aimed at fulfilling a vision of a more innovative, skilled, creative and enterprising nation.
The report sets the goal of building within the next twelve months a national movement for revitalising our economy with the support of business, educators, local government and other community leaders.
The seven challenges outlined in the report are:
- Reward 'can do', risk taking and success
- Educate for a knowledge economy
- Become a magnet nation for talent
- Generate wealth from ideas and knowledge
- Excel globally
- Network, collaborate and cluster
- Take an investment-driven approach to government
There is now an eight-week period for people to make submissions so that the government can gauge reaction to the innovation framework, and determine whether other issues should be added.
Helen Clark said that as the government works through the process of fleshing out the innovation framework, we will continue work on transforming the economy. Talent and investment initiatives are being developed. Industry and regional strategies have been set in motion through Industry New Zealand. The reshaping of the tertiary education sector to provide a stronger focus on quality and excellence is under way. We have set out on a process of rebuilding this country's economic base. The SIAC report, along with initiatives like the Knowledge Wave project, are important contributions to that process.
Creating a more inclusive New Zealand
Finance Minister Michael Cullen this week released documents developed out of the government's commitment to increase the well-being of New Zealanders by building a more inclusive and innovative economy. They build on Towards Higher Living Standards for New Zealanders, Treasury's briefing paper to the incoming government, which identified social cohesion as a primary policy concern. Michael Cullen said a team of 10 officials has been working on the issue since the government took office and gave it priority. Officials have delivered a suite of reports, drawing upon previous work within the Treasury and upon a burgeoning body of overseas literature. The minister said the government was impressed with the calibre of the work Treasury had produced and had agreed that it would be used as a context for departmental and Cabinet decision-making. The document is available from Dr Cullen's office or www.treasury.govt.nz
New money for extra school staffing
The Government will fund 350 more full time teacher equivalents as the next step in implementing recommendations in the school staffing review. Education Minister Trevor Mallard said the ultimate aim of staffing increases were to improve learning in schools.
Schools will receive an increased staffing entitlement in time for the beginning of the first term next year. Most, although not all, schools will receive some increase in entitlement. The extra staff will cost about $27 million each year.
This is the second step in an ongoing process of staffing improvements across all parts of the school sector. The first step was the 160 new full time teacher equivalents in small rural schools this year. As well, many schools have chosen to use money redistributed as a result of the end of bulk funding to fund extra staff.
Further staffing increases for 2003 will be considered as part of the usual Budget process next year.
Release of third Teac report
Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education) Steve Maharey called for a wide-raising debate on the contribution tertiary education can make to New Zealand's economic and social development, following the release of the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission's third report this week.
Shaping the Strategy recommends a set of priorities that would give effect to a national Tertiary Education Strategy, aimed at advancing the country's strategic goals. The report also sets out a 'scorecard' to evaluate the contribution of the tertiary education system, and outlines how the desirability of programmes and initiatives would be assessed.
This is one of a whole range of initiatives that Labour and the Alliance are undertaking to get the whole country thinking, talking and acting on our future in a strategic way.
A draft tertiary education strategy will be drawn up on the basis of this discussion process and released in December 2001. It is intended that the strategy will be finalised by March 2002.
Visit: www.talktertiarystrategy.minedu.govt.nz
Govt names venture fund board
The Government has appointed a six-member advisory board for the new $100 million New Zealand Venture Investment Fund. The fund, launched in the Budget, is a key measure amongst the Government's initiatives to stimulate business growth and transform the New Zealand economy. The chairman of the advisory advisory board will be John Grant, currently executive chairman of Australian investment company Grantham Capital. Other members are Peter Taylor, company director and chair of a HortResearch/Enza joint venture company; John Hindmarsh, Treasurer, Auckland City Council; June McCabe, chief manager, WestpacTrust; Geoff Page, chief executive, Industrial Research Ltd; Grant Ryan, manager NBCi New Zealand Ltd; Dr James Buwalda, chief executive of the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology, (ex officio member).
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