Hi-tech and creativity aimed at niche/niche a key to future

Tuesday, 24 May 2011, 8:58 am
Article: sticK

Hi-tech and creativity aimed at niche/niche a key to Kiwi future – Paul Callaghan

(sticK - 24 May 2011 ) New Zealand is poor because it chooses to be poor according to Professor Sir Paul Callaghan who packed out Te Papa’s Soundings Theatre last week.

The witty and amusing scientist, perhaps just as well known as being an excellent science and innovation communicator gave a presentation entitled; ‘New Zealand – The place where talent wants to live’.

In his optimistic way, he gave his broad view of how we can give ourselves a prosperous future. in spite of some kiwi short-comings, mostly around our lack of self-belief.

Our future won’t, can’t be about more dairy cows. As a couple of graphs pointed out, if it wasn’t for dairying/Fonterra, our country would have even less wealth – but the environmental degradation caused by cows and the difficulty of adding value to milk makes that too difficult.
Our best hope is using our brains much better he says, but he’s wary of politicians and bureaucrats trying to pick winners.

“We will be good at what we’re good at,” he says.

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http://sticknz.net/2011/05/24/hi-tech-and-creativity-aimed-at-nicheniche-a-key-to-kiwi-future-%E2%80%93-paul-callaghan/

For sticK – science, technology, innovation & commercialisation KNOWLEDGE - is a new Wellington based news service concentrating on following the money from ideas to income. Contact editor Peter Kerr at peter.kerr055 @ gmail.com

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