On a chilly June day in Hamilton, NIWA whānau and dignitaries gathered to mark the start of a new phase in our history. The occasion was a soil-turning ceremony for our new science premises in Hamilton. More than 120 invitees, including Waikato-Tainui partners and special guests, watched as soil was dug from the new site at the University of Waikato and transferred into an urn for placement into the building’s foundations.
Download the 2020/21 Year in Review [PDF 5.4MB]
Download the 2020/21 Annual Report [PDF 4MB]
The soil represents the mauri or wellbeing and protection of the building and all involved. Within a week, the diggers arrived, and construction began – the first step in one of the most significant investments in science in the Waikato region and nationally, and the first phase of NIWA’s multi-site redevelopment plans. Wellington and Christchurch will follow as we seek to provide contemporary and environmentally sustainable facilities with the flexibility required to meet the future needs of our scientists, technicians and enabling services staff and their climate, freshwater and marine science.
After the COVID-related challenges thrown at us all over the past 18 months, it was a singularly positive occasion, celebrating a new chapter. It was a tangible representation of years of planning and discussion, and a clear path to the future of vital scientific research for the nation.
Our confidence to push ahead with NIWA’s long-planned Future Property Programme, despite the challenge of a global pandemic, is due in no small part to support for the Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) from the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.
This fund, earmarked to help retain capability, ensure continuity of critical science services and long-term investment plans, ensured NIWA began the financial year confidently, fully resourced and able to respond to the increasing demand for our science.
Extraordinary demand for our science and services
It has been an extremely busy and highly productive year for NIWA. Demand for our services continues to grow, and to meet those needs we created 14 new permanent and 18 fixed-term positions during the year, taking our total staff to 712.
We set a conservative budget for the year, reflecting the uncertainty generated by the pandemic and any associated economic downturn. However, performance during the year significantly exceeded our expectations, with revenue $17.1 million and profit $9.4 million higher than budget.
Please refer to our NIWA 2021 Year in Review for the complete Chairman & Chief Executive's review of NIWA's 2020-21 year.
Download
NIWA 2021 Year in Review [PDF 5.4MB]
NIWA 2020/21 Annual Report [PDF 4MB]