Direction to: The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology ("the Foundation").
Under section 8A of the Foundation for Research, Science, and Technology Act 1990, I direct the Foundation to allocate funds in accordance with the Hazards and Infrastructure Research Scheme ("the Scheme") as specified in this notice.
Objectives of the Scheme
The objectives of the Scheme are to increase New Zealand’s resilience to hazards; support sustainable urban development, building and infrastructure; and help communities to manage growth and change, mitigate risks and maximise infrastructure efficiency.
The Scheme will support research, science and technology (RS&T) that is intended to be of benefit to New Zealand.
It is also expected that the Scheme will support relevant research that contributes to unlocking the innovation potential of Maori knowledge, resources and people as outlined in the Vision Matauranga policy framework. International collaboration will be supported where this is relevant and of benefit to the objectives of the Scheme.
Indicators of Success
If successful, the Scheme will generate and support the uptake of research, science and technology that will contribute to:
- the effective management of the major hazards faced by New Zealand communities through improved hazard prediction and alert, management and recovery systems and practices, better urban design and development, and resilient infrastructure;
- the effective capture and use of data, including human responses, during and after events; and
- improved planning and service delivery by central, regional and local government, private sector organisations, and the community.
The above indicators will be measured by the Foundation at a sector level and will provide some indication of the success of the Scheme.
Nature of the Scheme
The Scheme will achieve its objectives by supporting research, science and technology in the following two areas:
- Hazards - research to improve the management of hazards (for example, fire, flooding and earthquake) through hazard prediction and reduction, improving readiness, and emergency response and recovery. The research will support understanding of the physical causes of hazards, the social, economic and cultural factors influencing development of disaster-resilient communities, and the scientific underpinning for risk assessments/simulation models.
- Urban development and infrastructure:
- Research into the development and management of cities and towns, addressing lifestyles, economic and community development, economic, environmental and social infrastructure, networks, governance, buildings and spaces, and the ways people use them.
- Infrastructure research to improve the development, provision and resilience of essential infrastructure networks, systems and services. The research will include studies on interactions between physical infrastructure and the human environment to support economic, environmental, cultural and social wellbeing.
This investment area will fund a wide range of multidisciplinary (physical, social, economic and cultural) research and systems-based approaches to meet the needs
of government, councils, communities and businesses
in managing hazards, and urban and infrastructure development.
Tools for Allocating Funding
Research, science and technology supported under this Scheme must in each case fit one of the following Tools1:
- Science-led contestable funding - investing through a contestable process in RS&T and related activities.
- Long-term non-contestable funding - using non-
contestable processes to invest in research,
science and technology and related activities.
- Commercialisation and technology and knowledge transfer support - research to increase the stream of commercial prospects from publicly-funded RS&T, and supporting and equipping users to engage with research organisations and applying the results of publicly funded RS&T.
- Partnerships - support RS&T and related activities that provides for early and ongoing user engagement in RS&T and develops user-capability in engaging productively with researchers.
Estimated Funding
An estimate of the amount of funds required to be
allocated by the Foundation for the purposes of the Scheme is $23.55 million in 2010/11, excluding GST. Actual funding available will be published each year in the annual Estimates of Appropriation.
Estimated Period of Operation
I estimate that the Scheme will operate for a minimum of three years from 1 July 2010; however I anticipate reviewing this notice by 1 July 2011.
Monitoring Agency
The Ministry of Research, Science and Technology will monitor and review the Scheme.
Performance Measures
Annual performance measures for the Scheme will be published in the annual Estimates of Appropriation. Additional performance measures to measure progress will be specified in the Output Agreement.
Dated this 1st day of June 2010.
HON DR WAYNE MAPP, Minister of Research, Science and Technology.
1A description of each tool is contained in the Supplementary Notice
of Tools for Ministerial Schemes under section 8A of the Foundation
for Research, Science, and Technology Act 1990, published in the
New Zealand Gazette on the same date as this notice.