Headline: Blueprint to encourage innovation
A smart, active government would get in behind innovative manufacturers and exporters, Labour’s Associate Science and Innovation spokesperson Megan Woods says.
“Those in the industry know that to succeed on the world stage we need a thriving high-tech sector, and innovation is vital to that.
“The Manufacturing Inquiry Report, released today, endorses the reintroduction of the Research and Development tax credit as one its 11 recommendations.
“Manufacturer after manufacturer told the inquiry they could not understand why National scrapped Labour’s research and development tax credit scheme.
“Unlike the Government they understand it would have brought New Zealand into line with those countries that have vibrant manufacturing sectors.
“National, meanwhile, forged ahead with a mish-mash of light-weight R&D policy initiatives that have had to be shelved. Steven Joyce literally couldn’t give money away with his much-hyped technology voucher system.
“Initiatives announced in this year’s budget – to supposedly encourage R&D – have not been finalised and the criteria is still unknown.
“Manufacturing needs a new approach, and innovation is central to that. This report and the consensus it represents is the start of a new way of thinking.”
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