Science funding to save the native trees: videos games and prayers

Hi,

In my email last month exposing the $156,132 taxpayer-funded "science" kumara patch, I said there was more to come...

Today, I want to tell you about two projects – both out of the University of Auckland, and both funded from the same "National Science Challenge" pot of taxpayer money.

Remember the objective of this taxpayer fund is to "solve and protect New Zealand's bio-diversity" – and these science challenges are all about bringing together "the country's top scientists".

Buckle up.

Curing Kauri Dieback ...with a horror graphic novel 👻

The same “Mobilising for Action” programme that brought the kumara patch allocated $398,000 on an Auckland University study titled: “Toi Taiao Whakatairanga: Saving Trees with Art”.

Here's what $398,000 of your taxpayer cash bought you:

Now some might argue that there's a role for Government in helping educate Kiwis and raise awareness of plant diseases.

An advertising campaign? Or education resources for school science classes? No and no.

This is what Auckland Uni had in mind:

In other words, this "science" study – termed a "cross-disciplinary research project" – literally paid for designers, novelists, and even web developers. All in the name of curing Kauri Dieback!

Curing Kauri Dieback ...with a virtual reality game (and a prayer from Mum!) 👀

Other commissioned science artwork includes a 'virtual reality' game – and even a karakia (prayer) "gifted" from the grant recipient's mum!

Yes, seriously! It's listed as one of the three "research outputs":

Digging deeper...

Your humble Taxpayers' Union wanted to review the virtual reality game, but alas, it might have been expensive, but it's not long-lived - the work is no longer even online!

But we did find this: the result of a $26,000 video production (we've made a slight edit to the original - tracking the cost to taxpayers, as you watch it).

📺 Click here to see what the trees got for 26 grand 💸

Incredibly, this leading taxpayer-funded science failed to fix Kauri Dieback and Myrtle Rust! 😮

You can picture it, can't you? The boffins in some MBIE back office are sipping a soy latte, debating why curing Kauri Dieback and Myrtle Rust with whale songs to trees didn't work!

Then the virtual reality games didn't.

This is arts and culture, not 'science' 🧬

No taxpayer had this in mind when politicians announced tens of millions of dollars for the 'Science Challenges' to study how to heal trees that have Kauri Dieback or Myrtle Rust.

And once again, because these projects are cloaked in cultural language, the media won’t go near them. 

That’s why the Taxpayers’ Union exists – to call out the wasteful spending others are too scared to touch.

Because unless we call it out, this sort of spending will simply continue.

You and I both know that sunshine is the best disinfectant.  Our public exposés of wasteful spending have forced politicians to act in the past.

But that all takes resources, and we can only keep doing it with your support.

Right now, many taxpayers are struggling to afford groceries, let alone fuel. Meanwhile, officials sign off $156,132 for a kumara patch, and $398,000 for a story, a lost video game, a video, and a prayer.

Will you make a confidential donation to our War on Waste campaign?

Unless you take a stand, this waste will just keep happening and taxpayers will keep forking out.

Will you back us so we can take this fight to the Auditor-General and demand accountability?

Thank you for standing with us,

Jordan Williams  Executive Director  New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union

PS. More to come too – trust me when I say that what we've found at Auckland Uni makes the place look like a preschool! I'll email that through next week... In the meantime, thank you for making the work possible.