National's war on science continues

National's assault on science continues. 

First they axed the largest ever investment in science in New Zealand's history - Fast Forward, that would have invested two billion dollars, half of it private sector investment, into applied research in our highest priority industry. They won't replace that private sector funding. 

Now National is getting rid of the Bioethics Council. The Council might not help itself with its dreary language and excessive attempts to be culturally inoffensive. (But it's farewell note is pretty funny.) But any comment about the content of the work the Council did is separate from the need to have an ethical body. (Prog Blog thinks it was actually quite thoughtful, despite its earnest approach.)

When National gets rid of the Bioethics Council, it's not just getting rid of 'spiritual and ethical' debate around science. It is getting rid of the science as well. 

You are not going to have serious research into topics like human embryos or stem cells in this country without a clear ethical framework. 

You need a consultative body to lead the research, or the scientists and doctors involved won't get ethical approval from their own supervisory institutions; they won't get funding, especially from organisations that need strong ethical statements to secure public donations; and they will find scientists shy away from ethical minefields, because that is easier. 

Scientists are good at navigating rules around the sorts of constraints that should be put on research (such as requiring consent to use people in experiments.) 

Scientists are not good at leading debate themselves - influencing public opinion and consulting widely is not necessarily a science skill set, there will always be skepticism that scientists are focused on furthering their own areas of research interest; and they are constrained by the need to please funders.

So, if you get rid of an ethical advisory body, you effectively shut down some science.

Jim Anderton noted last week that support for science is becoming extremely political.

Never, in all New Zealand history, has any government made so many anti-science decisions in so short a time.