Health & Science

If Luxon wants to ‘build the future’ he must reverse his R&D cuts

Why do other countries’ politicians – whether of the left, right, or centre – value scientific endeavour, innovation, and investing for the future so much more than NZ?

by Prof Jonathan Boston 13 hours ago06/03/2026

An R&D centre in Espoo, Finland, where a cross-party agreement was reached to lift gross domestic R&D expenditure from 3 percent of GDP to 4 percent by 2030. Photo: Supplied

Opinion: Carl Sagan, the brilliant astronomer, once remarked: “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Research is about revealing, interpreting, and harnessing these incredible things to build a better world.

But do New Zealand politicians care much about research and development?

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Prof Jonathan Boston

Jonathan Boston, ONZM, is an Emeritus Professor of Public Policy at Victoria University and Honorary Senior Fellow at the Helen Clark Foundation. More by Prof Jonathan Boston

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Prof Jonathan Boston