Ministry of Research, Science and Technology

Purpose, Mission and Objectives

MoRST’s mission is to inspire and assist New Zealanders to create a better future through research and innovation. Our purpose is to shape, support and promote world-class research, science and technology that catalyses and accelerates economic, environmental and social development for New Zealand.

MoRST has identified six key strategic objectives (or Outcomes) to achieve our purpose. These are:

1. Increased and more effective investment that optimises opportunities for, and from, RS&T in New Zealand;
2. A vibrant RS&T environment that attracts and develops exceptional people;
3. An excellent RS&T knowledge-base that supports the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of New Zealanders;
4. Effective dissemination of RS&T knowledge that increases innovative potential and transformation across industry and government;
5. Greater awareness, understanding and confidence in RS&T within our various stakeholder communities including the general public; and
6. Well-established international RS&T connections that facilitate increased knowledge sharing and global collaborations.

(MoRST SOI, 2005, p. 14).

MoRST look at opportunities to improve the wellbeing of all New Zealanders, including disabled people and their families. This fact is most explicitly illustrated by our support of research to promote health outcomes for disabled people.

1. Inclusive RS&T Policy Development Process

Desired Outcome

That RS&T policies will continue to incorporate consideration of the outcomes sought under the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

Description

In developing policies for research, science and technology, the Ministry will continue to promote the consideration of the needs of disabled people. The Ministry will look to ensure the Government’s research investment supports the underpinning knowledge needed to implement the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

Outcome Measures and Timeframes

Disability research is one of a number of areas that in 2005/06 will be supported through a new Health Research Council (HRC) output titled “Priority Research for Health”. The HRC will provide an analysis of the investment in priority research, including the disability area, in its annual Progress and Achievements Report (PAR) to the Minister of RS&T, due December 2005. The analysis will include details and dollar values of new and existing contracts and identification of instances where successful uptake of research into policy and practice has occurred.

The disability placement programme is one of a number of capability-building initiatives that will be supported through the HRC's “Human Resource Development for Health Research” output. The HRC will report on the implementation of this programme in its first 6-monthly progress report to the Minister, and will provide a high-level analysis of the impact of its human resource development initiatives in the PAR.

Links to Strategy Objective and Action

Foster an aware and responsive public service - Action 6.1

Collect and use relevant information about disabled people and disability issues – Action 10.1

2. Website Access

Desired Outcomes

That all information on the MoRST website fulfils the requirements for access by disabled people. That it:

• can be navigated independently by disabled people;
• is easily accessible and content is in a format compatible with relevant user software;
• adheres to the Web Content Accessibility requirements of the New Zealand Government Web Guidelines (February 2004).

Description

The Ministry will be redeveloping and enhancing its website over the next 12 months to ensure that the site is easily accessible to all users. The design and redevelopment processes will take into consideration the needs of disabled people and will adhere to the Government Web Guidelines, in particular accessibility. As part of this process we will undertake a requirements and scoping exercise to identify steps and costs to promote NZ Sign Language (NZSL) to ensure our information is accessible to deaf people.

Outcome Measures and Timeframes

A Steering Committee will be appointed and the design and redevelopment process is due to be completed by December 2006.

Links to Strategy Objective and Action

Foster an aware and responsive public service – Action 6.5

3. Business as Usual

Office Accommodation

Description

The Ministry has recently undergone an accommodation fit-out, which took into account the specific needs of disabled people. A review of this fit-out is currently underway and any changes or alterations that come from this will take into consideration the specific needs of disabled people.

Workplace Support

Description

The Ministry will continue to reduce barriers to employment and on-going performance of disabled staff by:

• Recognising their needs at the start of employment and making provision for adequate resources for them to do their job.
• Making available voice recognition software for use where necessary.

Rehabilitation

Description

The Ministry will assess its current rehabilitation programme and explore innovative rehabilitation solutions whenever appropriate to assist staff to prepare for a return to the work place after long term absence. For example, a programme of work shadowing and other rehabilitation approaches that result in evaluation of readiness for return to work, and type of work which is appropriate.