October 2003 updates

Government supports ICT Taskforce Initiatives
By Danny Butt in Hamilton, New Zealand db@dannybutt.net October 2003

The Information Technology and Communications Minister, Paul Swain, has unveiled government initiatives costing more than NZ$50 million in response to the report of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Taskforce.

The ICT Sector Taskforce is one of four industry taskforces established by the government in May 2002.

The initiatives announced by the minister include the HiGrowth Project, a body to achieve the ICT taskforce's objective of taking 100 New Zealand ICT companies through sales levels of 100 million dollars by 2012. Other initiatives include secondary and tertiary education projects to develop technology curriculum and link education to enterprise; funding for research to improve ICT statistics; an ICT awareness programme; and research to improve the collection of ICT statistics.

ICT Taskforce: http://www.taskforces.govt.nz/ict
HiGrowth: http://www.higrowth.co.nz

New Maori Internet body
By Danny Butt in Hamilton, New Zealand db@dannybutt.net October 2003

A new Maori body, the Aotearoa Maori Internet Organisation (AMIO) has been established to begin defining what the Internet is to Maori; how Maori are and will be affected; and how Maori culture and identity will be impacted. The group also aims to foresee and predict the Internet's long-term impact on Maori society and identity.

A group such as this for the Maori has been in demand for a number of months following the demise of the New Zealand Maori Internet Society, said AMIO Chairperson Karaitiana Taiuru. AMIO believe that the migration and increased participation of Maori on the Internet and the World Wide Web need not be limited to being mere participants only in the current structure and facilities available.

Objectives of the Aotearoa Maori Internet Organisation include:

*  promoting and defining a strong Maori presence and entity on the Internet.

*  developing relationships with national and International IT bodies

*  promoting the interests of Maori Internet service creators

The organisation is also taking an active role in issues relating to indigenous intellectual property and cybersquatting http://www.amio.maori.nz.