What vision for technology and jobs growth?

I'm a generation Xer, impressed by Keys attitude and quite liking the fact that as National claims, New Zealand's 'net emissions have fallen for the first time since 1990 due to gains in forestry and renewable electricity'. Their Environment and Climate Change policy statement reads very well in my opinion.

So then I clicked across to 'Science and Innovation'. What? A one page press release about boosting 'investment in the science sector to transform Industrial Research Limited (IRL) into an advanced technology institute'. Is that all? What about the universities, R&D, facilitating start ups? I am stunned. Surely this information would in a logical place on the web.

So then I look back to the above policy statement - ooohhhh - outside the policy framework, the 'Complementary Measures' section - that teeny tiny bit is your entire future plan for technology and the environment.

Every chat show, every current affairs program shows most people on benefits ask 'where are the jobs'? So where is the vision on innovation that will create the jobs? The long term strategy? The small resourceful democratic nations we admire are embracing technologies in ways that could be leaving us behind.

And then I go to the Green site. I honestly would like to know Key, with his solid background in finance, hasn't put this forward as a policy: 'By issuing green energy bonds to New Zealand investors, our energy companies can raise additional capital to inject into those spin-off companies with the best potential for long term future export earnings'. I would love to invest in safe renewable energy bonds. Rather than sell off assets - I want to know that government will facilitate innovation in long term renewables.

And then: 'harnessing the clean energy sector boom with aggressive policies to encourage R&D and investment in the global renewable energy market'. Imagine a share of this growing export sector with plenty of scientists wanting focus on this area. Why is this not a visionary job creation policy? Instead negligable if National gets in because there seems to be no mention of it.

China's vision and work on renewables is pretty amazing. If we can innovate to fit market gaps for new technologies you can imagine the long term benefits. That would be value adding.

I want a Green Fund for investment in low-carbon infrastructure and technological innovation.

Many, many scientists are now moving back to the 350ppm as the crucial planetary boundary. Which we have passed.

Absolutely no-one I know wants to change the way they live, so unless governments take responsibility and instigate policies to encourage technology to lessen world emissions there is a huge chance our kids, in old age, could be living in a devastated world.

I have never been a gambler. If this is a tipping point I want to know I am voting to do all I can.

My husband says the Nationals are not talking about new technology policies because they mustn't consider it an election issue.

What irony if the Greens hold the balance of power with Labour.

National need to be not scared of harnessing the green vote.

I like a hell of a lot of what National is doing, but in this uncertain world I vote for my children's future.

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