Shane Reti: Science Minister on the impact of merging NIWA and MetService

The Science Minister says merging our two Government weather agencies will free up millions of dollars. 

Incoming legislation will bring NIWA and MetService together before the end of the year. 

Shane Reti says the merger will resolve the structural issue that's resulted in duplication and conflicting advice. 

He told Mike Hosking they'll merge capabilities, assets and services, and streamline back-office functions. 

Reti says they're projecting there'll be an extra $3 million a year as a result, which they'll drive back into weather forecasting. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We've got a merger confirmed there where met services seems
to have been coming for a while. They're going to
become one the idea as we eliminate duplication, streamline services,
save money, all that stuff. Science and Innovation Tech Minister
shame Retty with a shame warning.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Make the time frame between what you thought you were
going to do and actually doing it now? Has somebody
been pushing back? Has there been a scrap on or
has this been a no brainer?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Now? This has been a no brainer. I mean we've
got two organizations, two sets of infrastructure, two sets of
back offers, and unfortunately sometimes two different weather reports on
the same weather system, so the weather forecasting system. The
view was quite clear that we should follow international presidents,
bring these together, drive the efficiencies and put those efficiencies
back into the system.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
Are we going to have a lead agency as one
better than the other.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
NIWA will be the appearent to the acquisition, So NIWA
will be the lead going forward for authoritative meteorological advice.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
And what's the cost saving the job losses and the
time frame?

Speaker 2 (00:57):
So the projected monetized net present value benefits are roughly
three million dollars per annum is what the modeling has shown,
which we can drive back into improving weather forecasting jobs
still being determined as roughly six hundred to six hundred
and fifty jobs at newer three hundred at Meteorological Service,

(01:18):
and it's being worked out. We'll bring them together first
of all, and then we'll work our way through weather
duplications occur, but it is the intention to find those
reduplications and redirect that funding back in design.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Obviously I'm not a meteorologist, but how is it possible?
Will you employ one thousand people to put out a
weather forecast?

Speaker 2 (01:38):
It is actually very complex. And remember they actually do
more than weather. If you look at what the NIWER does.
For example, it also deploys the dark Boy system all
around the world, so it is a much broader a
remit than just weather.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
Actually, what would you expect it to go from? Roughly
not holding you to it, but if a thousands too many?
What's the number?

Speaker 2 (02:01):
Look that's adread That is uncertain. We couldn't predict on that,
but one we could imagine that the back office is
where some of the efficiencies will drive initially, and then
we'll look at where some of the duplicated infrastructure might
need to be reconfigured also.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
And timeframe.

Speaker 2 (02:17):
We're looking to bring legislation to the House in this
next three or four months, and then we'll drive the
organizations together once we've done that.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
Good stuff for shame ready who is the Science, Innovation
Tech Minister? And assuming they're going to need new stationary
as well, Mike, regarding wall carpets being used, would the
Commerce Commission look into this as the outside there are
laws regarding fair trading and unfair competition. Is not a
bad question. Actually, if there's a government directive to favor
one product open or another, and you've entered a free

(02:46):
trade agreement with somebody pack anybody who happens to export,
we import their carpet materials. Well done, Well done, you
good question. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen
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