New digital forum to be established

Published: 09.04.2008

The government will be supporting and funding the establishment of a new overarching digital forum for the wider digital community.

“Creating a digital future for New Zealanders requires collaboration from a wide range of stakeholders,” said Communications and Information Technology Minister David Cunliffe. “The key to the success of the forum will be its wide representation and I encourage all groups with a digital interest to join.

The forum is expected to represent the varied interests of the wider digital community, with representation from the community and voluntary sector, business, local government, ICT users (such as academics and the research and science sector) and the ICT industry. It will effectively be a coalition of existing bodies – an “association of associations”.

It will provide a mechanism for members to interface and collaborate with each other and collectively with the government on the implementation of the refreshed Digital Strategy and other issues of national importance. Therefore it is expected to be fully operational by the middle of the year, when the refreshed Digital Strategy 2.0 will be released.

Consequently, the HiGrowth Project concluded its operation by the end of March and the Digital Strategy Advisory Group will be disestablished by the end of April.

Between now and the end of April potential members are being consulted on the design, terms of membership and mode of operation of the forum.

In the meantime, the ICT industry is advancing plans to establish an industry specific body to focus on development and strategic issues of an industry-good nature.

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