Can we afford such generous research leave?

A reader writes in:

Having just spent 3 months* in New Zealand, and with a concern for what I believe is substantive waste across the University sector, I call your attention to the contractual Research and Study leave entitlements in NZ:

The financial impact of New Zealand’s academic research and study leave appear unique to our little nation. Across my time in Australia, neither myself nor any other member of academic staff had entitlements such as in NZ.

Eligible academics in New Zealand accrue roughly one extra day of leave per week under research leave policies. They can accrue this up to a maximum of 365 days over seven years. NOTE: this is in addition to annual and other leave.**

The link below is one example: Otago University study leave policy. I refer to cl. 8 herein (it should be noted these policies used to me readily posted for all Unis – many appear today to require employee login. That may be something to investigate on its own.

https://www.otago.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/295404/research-study-leave-policy-335801.pdf

In the seventh year, academics can pending management approval, take a full year of research at full pay. 

Academics who get this benefit are the research ranks such Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, and Professor. Stats NZ suggests there are approximately 10,400 academics eligible for this leave across these ranks in NZ.

Remembering that academics are already paid to do research:

I have roughly calculated 10,400 academics who get an extra 50 days per year that is over 500,000 days. As an example, using an average income of $130k indicates the cost per annum to the country is well in excess of $260 million dollars. In ten years that’s $2.6 billion dollars.

Again, all of these figures require verification but this is difficult as many universities appear to have shifted public inspection of these entitlements as used to be reported on their websites.

And again, in Australia, there are no similar contractual research/study leave entitlements. In the US, long-term paid research and study leave is contestable with few staff competing for small numbers of leave slots. At my university in US, 150 academics will complete for 2 extended paid leaves this year. 2. Teaching loads across NZ also appear lower than in AU (and much of the US).

The rest of the taxpayer funded state sector is having to live within its means. What is the justification for NZ taxpayers to fund such amazingly generous research leave provisions? Is any other country as generous?