Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Transport Minister Simeon Brown.
Photo: Local Democracy Reporting / supplied
A significant job vacancy is causing concern in the science world and beyond.
The government will not say whether it is keeping the role of prime minister’s chief science advisor, a job that has been empty since July, despite the coalition agreement between National, ACT and NZ First saying “decisions will be based on data and evidence”.
Among other things, the chief science advisor provides advice on specific topics to the prime minister and ministers, and information in a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, past advice from prime ministerial science advisors on dealing with gangs, a rising prison population and boot camps has run contrary to a number of policies the current government has adopted.
The budget for the office has also been cut by $500,000.
Simon Kingham was chief science advisor to the Ministry of Transport Agency until May. He told Checkpoint the lack of hiring going on was “concerning”.
“When you look at it across the board and you look at the need for science and you look at some of the policies coming out of some of those agencies, it does look a little bit concerning.”
In his specialty area of transport, Kingham said scrapping speed reductions introduced by Labour and prioritising new roads over cycling and walking infrastructure flew in the face of what scientists and engineers would recommend.
He also criticised the Coalition government’s softer stance on emissions compared to its predecessor.
“It’s hard to find any scientist or anyone who understands science evidence who thinks any of those policies are good – and they’ve all happened when there is no science advisor in that government department.”
Kingham said it was possible the government was stalling on hiring new advisors because it did not like the recommendations it was getting.
“Maybe that’s the argument… if you’re not going to listen to science, don’t have science advisors. We would hope that our governments would be implementing policies based on evidence and science… But… at the moment they’re not, so maybe it’s saving them money.”
Outside of transport, Kingham pointed to the Coalition government’s approach to smoking, gun laws and the environment, in particular the fast-track bill.
Simon Kingham.
Photo: University of Canterbury
“I don’t think the government can hand on heart say we’re leaning on data and evidence, certainly in some of those fields I just mentioned, particularly in transport. There’s no way they can do that, honestly.”
Checkpoint asked the prime minister’s office for a statement regarding the future of science advisors.
A spokesperson said a thorough review of the science sector was underway by the Science System Advisory Group, led by former chief advisor Sir Peter Gluckman.
“It would be really unfortunate if the prime minister didn’t have a science advisor and my understanding is the prime minister said he wants one,” Kingham said.
“Quite why we haven’t got one yet, I don’t know.”
The prime minister’s office said the government was committed to supporting science and innovation, and any roles pivotal to the science sector were part of that review and they would have more to say in the coming weeks.
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