New Zealand's newly formed Bioeconomy Science Institute is slashing 134 positions, raising questions about the government's commitment to scientific research just months after the institute's creation.
The cuts, reported by the New Zealand Herald, come shortly after the institute's formation through the merger of existing research organizations, suggesting restructuring priorities have taken precedence over research capacity.
They literally just created this institute and now they're gutting it. This is the NZ government's science policy in a nutshell—talk about innovation while slashing the people who do the actual work.
The Bioeconomy Science Institute was formed as part of a broader government restructuring of New Zealand's science sector, ostensibly to improve efficiency and reduce duplication. Instead, critics say the restructuring has created chaos and destroyed institutional knowledge.
Science unions and researchers have condemned the job cuts, warning that New Zealand risks losing critical expertise in bioeconomy research at a time when the country needs innovation to address climate change, improve agricultural productivity, and develop new export industries.
"You can't just fire 134 scientists and expect the research to magically continue," one researcher told the Herald. "These are people with decades of expertise. Once they're gone, that knowledge walks out the door."
The cuts reflect the current government's focus on fiscal restraint over investment in research and development. New Zealand has historically struggled with low R&D spending compared to other developed nations, and the latest cuts suggest that gap will only widen.
Bioeconomy research—focused on using biological resources sustainably to create products and services—is considered crucial for New Zealand's economic future. The country's primary industries, including agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture, depend on scientific innovation to remain competitive globally.
Opposition politicians have seized on the job cuts as evidence the government doesn't understand the importance of science to New Zealand's economy. "They're killing the goose that lays the golden eggs," one MP said.
The timing is particularly awkward given the government's rhetoric about positioning New Zealand as a high-tech, knowledge-based economy. Business leaders have expressed concern that cutting scientific capacity undermines that ambition.
For the 134 researchers and support staff losing their jobs, the cuts represent both personal hardship and a blow to New Zealand science. Many are expected to seek opportunities in Australia or further afield, joining the ongoing brain drain that has plagued the country for decades.