Smart Green Innovation

Innovation lies at the heart of a smart, green economy. Economies that innovate do better over the long term, creating good jobs that pay well.

Our plan to build a smarter, more innovative economy has as its centrepiece an additional $1 billion of government investment in research and development (R&D) above current spend, including tax breaks for business.

The Green Party’s plan for an innovative economy includes:

1. $1 billion of new government funding over three years for research and development to kick-start a transformational shift in how our economy creates wealth;
2. The Government taking a collaborative partnership approach to innovation with the private sector, which will include:

• R&D funding made up of tax credits and grants;
• a requirement for firms that go into overseas ownership to repay their grants;
• a new voluntary option for large grants, where companies that receive significant taxpayer funds agree to the Government taking an equity stake in their business.

The Green Party will fund an additional 1,000 places at tertiary institutions for students of engineering, mathematics, computer science, and the physical sciences.

Innovation is one of the best ways to add value to our exports, raise wages, and better protect the natural world we love.

This is one of suite of economic policies we are announcing this election to build a smart, greener economy that benefits everyone.

https://www.greens.org.nz/policy/smarter-economy/smart-green-innovation