As 2024 comes to a close and we look forward to our summer breaks, please forgive me for reaching for a road trip analogy! Like many of you, I'm sure, our family has a couple of roadies planned, including at least one with all three of our (adult) children in the back seat. While there may not be cries of “Are we there yet?” regular breaks will be needed to make sure everyone is on speaking terms when we do get there!
These past weeks have featured the need to look through both the windscreen and the rear-view mirror at the same time.
Immediately in front of us, we are seeing New Zealand respond to an outbreak of a novel highly pathogenic avian influenza among poultry flocks (with a very low risk to humans it must be added); global reports of illness in the Congo that has still to be formally identified; and leaders around the world meeting to discuss the impact on climate change on human health.
And in the rear-view mirror, we have been reflecting on the lessons learned from the recent pandemic as phase one of the Royal Commission’s COVID-19 report was released.
As any driving instructor will tell you, the ability to hold both views is what keeps us alert, prepared and as safe as possible as we navigate the inherent risks any journey holds.
I won’t use this platform to defend or otherwise actions taken during the pandemic, with which my career is inextricably linked; that is what Commissions of Inquiry and the judge of history are for.
But I do want to reflect that the distance of time between the pandemic and the publication of this first phase of the Inquiry has been helpful. It has allowed for the experience in New Zealand to be seen in the global context, gives us the benefit of hindsight, and has given space to see how foreseen and unforeseen consequences have played out.
We know more now than we did then.
And this matters as we look ahead and, all importantly, implement and test our plans for preventing, preparing for and responding to future pandemics.
The Ministry of Health has developed the New Zealand Pandemic Plan: a framework for action, which Professor David Murdoch and I commented on in a recent issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal. We urged New Zealanders to consider pandemic preparedness through a wider societal lens, viewing it not as a health question, but as a matter of national security. And we do need to invest in the infrastructure and surveillance capability that gives us the ability to keep our eyes on the road.
The opportunity to contribute to this mahi is a key reason I was pleased to serve on the ESR board and, during 2024, take up the role of interim Chief Executive.
It has been a challenging year across the public sector and, like many organisations, ESR has had to review and reduce the size of its workforce.
In doing so, we have been guided by our core purpose of delivering critical capabilities New Zealand needs as the science partner for our public health and justice sectors.
And as we reflect on the past year, and despite the challenges on the journey, there is much to celebrate.
In our most recent edition of the ESR newsletter Next Question (if you haven't already, I encourage you to sign up at the bottom of this page) you will hear about the AI-powered ‘digital twin’ of New Zealand our teams have developed, which brings together over 30 national data sets to offer a step-change in our simulation and modelling capabilities.
We celebrate a million-dollar Marsden Grant that will enable us to learn more about bacteriophages–viruses that attack bacteria–with the potential to target drug-resistant bacteria that threaten the effectiveness of antibiotics.
And we hear from an early career researcher looking at the underexamined area of how to interpret blood stain patterns found on the floor (as opposed to walls and ceilings) to support forensic investigations.
These are just a few examples of the exceptional work our scientists deliver every day, directly aimed at adding value to the communities and sectors we serve.
As the year draws to a close I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our colleagues and partners who share our passion for delivering science that makes a difference for New Zealand.
2025 is certain to be an interesting year; as a science sector there are twists and turns in the road ahead of us as we await the outcomes of the science sector review. But as we look ahead and behind simultaneously, I am confident that ESR will continue to play to its strengths and deliver great science for communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.