Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor

The Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor (PMCSA) was a New Zealand government body established in 2009 to provide independent, evidence-based scientific advice to the Prime Minister. Its purpose was to ensure that scientific knowledge informed public policy across a wide range of issues, from environmental sustainability and public health to emerging technologies and social well-being. The office was hosted by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) and operated with a small team, most of whom were based at the University of Auckland. The office was led by a Chief Science Advisor. Professor Sir Peter Gluckman served as the inaugural advisor from 2009 to 2018, followed by Professor Dame Juliet Gerrard from July 2018 to June 2024. Under their leadership, the office produced numerous reports, including major projects on food loss and waste, commercial fisheries, and insect decline. It also ran internship and fellowship programmes to build connections between the research community and policy makers. After Professor Gerrard’s tenure ended in June 2024, the office was not immediately staffed. In May 2025, John Roche was appointed as the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, hosted by the DPMC. The Chief Science Advisor Forum remains active, and the PMCSA website now serves as an archive of material from the tenures of Gluckman and Gerrard. The office’s work covered topics such as environmental stewardship, well-being, science in emergencies, and the future of commercial fisheries. Its reports and activities are documented on its website, which includes annual reports like Mahi Tahi 6 and various project outputs. The office is a key example of institutionalising scientific advice within government.

The Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor was established in 2009, with Professor Sir Peter Gluckman appointed as the inaugural Chief Science Advisor. The office was created to provide independent scientific advice to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, ensuring that policy decisions were informed by robust evidence. Gluckman served until 2018, during which time the office built a reputation for producing rigorous reports on topics such as climate change, obesity, and science education. In July 2018, Professor Dame Juliet Gerrard took over as Chief Science Advisor. Her tenure, lasting until June 2024, expanded the office’s scope to include projects on food loss and waste, the future of commercial fisheries, and insect decline. The office also ran internship and fellowship programmes, hosting researchers from various institutions to work on policy-relevant projects. Notable outputs included the Mahi Tahi annual reports, which documented the office’s activities and impact. After Gerrard’s term ended in June 2024, the office was not staffed for a period. The website was archived, preserving material from both Gluckman’s and Gerrard’s tenures. In May 2025, John Roche was appointed as the new Chief Science Advisor, hosted by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The Chief Science Advisor Forum, a network of science advisors across government, remains active. The office’s legacy includes a strengthened interface between science and policy in New Zealand.

• 2025

  John Roche appointed as Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor (May 2025).

• 2024

  Juliet Gerrard's tenure ends (June 2024); office not staffed.

• 2021

  Report on environmental stewardship and well-being published (May 2021).

• 2020

  Report on the future of commercial fisheries released.

• 2018

  Professor Dame Juliet Gerrard appointed as Chief Science Advisor (July 2018).

• 2009

  Office established; Professor Sir Peter Gluckman appointed as inaugural Chief Science Advisor.

Independent scientific advisory body within the New Zealand government, providing evidence-based advice to the Prime Minister.

• Food Loss and Waste report series

• Report on the future of commercial fisheries

• Insect decline report

• Environmental stewardship and well-being report

• Mahi Tahi 6 annual report

1. 1Archived material from former Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisorspmcsa.ac.nz
2. 2Who we were | Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisorpmcsa.ac.nz
3. 3Our office 2024 | Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisorpmcsa.ac.nz
4. 4Our interns and fellows | Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisorpmcsa.ac.nz
5. 5Wikidata entrywikidata.org