The Green Party will support the values from te ao Māori as relevant ethical guidelines for the conduct of science and biotechnology in Aotearoa New Zealand. We will reform the structure and funding of science research. We strongly support a commitment to technology that enables us to work together more effectively and do more with less for longer.
Vision
Research, science, and technology is diverse, ethical and equitable, and improves wellbeing, builds resilience, upholds indigenous knowledge, and helps mitigate the intersecting crises that we face.
Values and Principles
Decisions relating to research, science and technology (RS&T) must be consistent with the following values and principles:
- Honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Māori leadership in research, science and technology is critical and the sector should recognise the importance and validity of mātauranga Māori to Aotearoa New Zealand. The tino rangatiratanga of tangata Māori in regards to research for, about and by Māori should be upheld.
- Ecological Wisdom: Research, science and technology should be applied with an ecocentric rather than anthropocentric view and be focused on enabling the restoration and protection, rather than exploitation, of the natural world on which we depend.
- Social Responsibility: Research, science and technology should be used to improve the quality and resilience of our lives.
- Appropriate Decision-Making: Strong links between researchers, Government, Māori, business and community sectors should be used to guide proposing, assessing, investing in, and utilising research, science and technology.
- Non-Violence: Scientific endeavours should be based on ethical research principles, including the precautionary principle. Te ao Māori values provide relevant ethical guidelines for the conduct of science, including biotechnology, in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Strategic Priorities
The Green Party’s strategic goals include:
“All people will be empowered to shape the systems that affect them through community engagement enabled by good evidence, co-design, and adequate resourcing.”
“Māori will be empowered and resourced within a kaupapa Māori framework…”.
Actions in this policy that will help achieve this include:
- Support and enable the exploration of mātauranga Māori as part of the public science system and ensure that such work only occurs in partnership with local Māori and that intellectual property rights remain with Māori. (1.1)
- Invest in research that contributes to sustainability through innovation, knowledge creation, adoption of appropriate technologies, and changes in practice. (2.1)
- Change the existing sector-focused and corporatised science model in Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) and universities into one that enables cross-disciplinary research, focuses on public good and economic transformation, and is more enabling and empowering of science and innovation. (2.9)
- Ensure that the public funding allocation system for RS&T is aligned with the values and principles of this policy. (2.4.1)
- Promote open data and data sharing, and have the results of publicly funded research published and held in the public domain. (2.17)
- Fund and prioritise targeted genomic research into Māori population genetics and variation to improve healthcare outcomes, address inequities faced in healthcare and under-representation within literature. (3.17)
Connected Policies
This policy is connected to many others to support informed decision-making. Tertiary Education institutions play a large role in research. Priorities for research are stated in many other policies, including Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Arts, Culture and Heritage, Climate Change, Community and Voluntary Sector, Conservation, Economic, Education, Energy, Environmental Protection, Forestry, Gambling, Health, Housing and Sustainable Communities, Immigration, Justice, Land Use and Soils, Local Government, Marine Environment, Mining, Rainbow, Sustainable Business, Tagata Moana, Transport, Waste and Hazardous Substances, Women, and Youth. Digital technologies and their role in Broadcasting and Media are closely connected. Biotechnology is also connected to our Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Forestry, and Sustainable Business Policies.
