Dear MetSoc members:

In response to requests from the Minister for RS&T for a new
strategy document to be prepared by the end of the year, RSNZ
are planning to hold a meeting with affiliated Societies in
early November. The object of the new strategy statement is to
obtain increased government funding for RS&T in next year's
budget.

A MetSoc representative (myself, or another member of the
committee) will most likely go to the RSNZ meeting in November.
If any of you have specific points to raise about RS&T strategy
or funding, please pass them on to me, and I can bring them to
the meeting.


Regards,
Jim Renwick

------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Sat, 12 Oct 2002 09:07:03 +1300
To: Member.Societies.announcements@...
From: Steve Thompson <steve.Thompson@...>
Send reply to: Steve Thompson <steve.Thompson@...>
Subject: Re: RS&T Strategy Statement


Notes from Paul gandar, Minister's Office:


I realise, looking at the RSNZ Alert, that you probably haven't
been
briefed on the very recent decision of the Minister (earlier
this week) to
develop an RS&T strategy statement by the end of this year.
This will
allow him to strengthen the case he will make for extra RS&T
funding in
Budget 2003.

This timeline means that we are now running a very tight and
fast process
for developing the strategy statement. Cabinet requirements
means we need
to have the job done by the end of November. This means the
Council
meeting at the end of November will come too late to provide
input for the
strategy statement per se. However, because we see strategy as
an on-going
process it should still be a useful time to assemble ideas for
work during
2003...

In addition, we would like to have a half-day 'focus group'
meeting with
representatives of science societies in the week beginning Nov
4. It would
be great if the RSNZ could set this up for us.

(We are also planning to run focus groups for scientists at each
of the
main centres in the same week - briefing on this at the PA-MoRST
meeting on
Thursday)

Paul
> Paul Gandar
> Principal Policy Adviser
> Ministry of Research, Science and Technology
+--------------------------------------------------------+
Jim Renwick, Principal Scientist, Climate Dynamics
NIWA, PO Box 14901, Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
J.Renwick@... Ph: +64 4 386 0343 hm: 973 2523
http://www.niwa.co.nz Fax: +64 4 386 2153 or 386 0574