The Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor
The world we live in and the society we’re a part of is increasingly underpinned and informed by science and technology. This can include many products that we use or consume, the ways in which we learn, how we travel, how we communicate and how we manage our health and wellbeing.
To be able to make decisions about how we live our life and how we want our society to function requires an understanding of science. In New Zealand, the school science curriculum requires students to develop an understanding of the nature of science. School leavers should have a level of skill and enthusiasm to engage in socio-scientific issues and to evaluate scientific knowledge. This enables them to make informed personal and societal decisions.
Our society is made up of people with different perspectives and levels of scientific understanding. So how about the people we elect to govern our society? Do they have different levels of scientific understanding? How can politicians and people in government make smart and effective decisions if they don’t have a strong understanding of the science involved?
Closed for business
All non-essential businesses were closed for 29 days in March–April 2020 to stop the spread of COVID-19. There was significant disruption to the economy. Economic crises can cause short-term reductions in carbon emissions.
During the COVID-19 pandemic governing leaders of countries all around the world were required to make decisions to protect their citizens from a deadly virus – for example, the decision of the New Zealand Government to go into lockdown in March 2020. Governments then had to make decisions about what vaccines to use against COVID-19 and how to supply these to their citizens. How can individuals in governments with no or little science background make good decisions when they have no expert understanding of viral illness, vaccinations and epidemiology? For many countries, appointing scientific advisors or seeking out experts has become an expected part of decision making.
Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister
To provide an accessible bridge between science, society and government, New Zealand has a Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister (PMCSA). The role is to provide advice to the Prime Minister on scientific matters and to ensure that the advice given is robust, fairly represents expert views, and is responsive to criticism and review.
In May 2025, Dr John Roche was appointed to the position after Dame Juliet Gerrard resigned in June 2024. Dr Roche is an agricultural scientist with a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry. He was previously a principal scientist for animal science at DairyNZ. He also holds the role of Chief Departmental Science Adviser at New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Dr Roche has further been appointed as the deputy chair of the Prime Minister's new Science and Technology Advisory Council, which includes Sir Peter Gluckman – New Zealand's first-ever chief scientist.
Dr John Roche
Agricultural scientists Dr John Roche was appointed as the Prime Ministers Chief Science Advisor in May 2025.
Robust science advice
To ensure that people appointed as scientific advisors are not unduly influenced by politics, business and other organisations there are a number of rules and policies in place. These include:
the Chief Science Advisor is not a government employee
during their term, a Chief Science Advisor cannot continue any board appointments and leadership roles, and they cannot apply for research funding in New Zealand
These and other policies enable the PMCSA the freedom to speak out on important issues.
Related content
For related educational resources on some of these hot topics, take a look at 1080 – a wicked problem, Microplastics, Rethinking plastics and Rethinking plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand – the report, Climate change resources – planning pathways and Genetically modified foods – a socio-scientific issue.
For professional learning development around the nature of science, take a closer look at The nature of science in the curriculum and Reasons for teaching the nature of science.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment investigates and publishes independent reports and provides advice on environmental issues to the government to maintain or improve the quality of Aotearoa New Zealand’s environment.
Many of the Office for the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor (OPMCSA) hot topics (see in the Useful links list below) align with what we refer to as ‘wicked problems’ in education – for example, see the article Climate change – a wicked problem for classroom enquiry.
Useful links
Learn more about the appointment of the new Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor and changes to in this Beehive press release.
The Office for the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor (OPMCSA) was in place during Dame Juliet Gerrard’s term as PMCSA (2018–2024). It was an independent team of science advisors, policy analysts and interns supporting the role of the PMCSA. Although the OPMCSA has been disestablished, the briefs they produced on different hot topics are on their archived website:
