NZ lacking ‘digital ambition'
Tech leaders slam govt
New Zealand lacks the digital ambition required to keep pace with advances in technology taking place around the world, according to an industry report.
"We don't have a digital ambition," the Technology Users Association (TUANZ)'s annual Digital Priorities report said.
It said there was a strong perception among tech sector leaders the government lacked a co-ordinated and strategic approach to digital transformation, which had resulted in a slowdown in innovation and investment.
"The overwhelming sentiment? Disappointment and a sense of invisibility," the report said.
"A common view is that government restructuring and shifting priorities have sidelined digital technology — seen by many as a missed opportunity."
The report highlights deficiencies across nearly all key tech sector indicators and the country's stagnant, middle-of-the-pack ranking on the global stage, despite digital technology being a major driver of economic growth for New Zealand.
"As the government enters its second full year, digital leaders express disappointment and a sense of invisibility, struggling to pinpoint specific government initiatives in the digital technology space."
The report said the lack of legislation or regulation beyond the Privacy Act remained a major concern for digital leaders.
"Our low and stagnant rankings for cybersecurity and privacy protection underscore the need for urgent action to strengthen our capabilities in these critical areas," it said.
TUANZ chief executive Craig Young said the government and industry needed to work together to address escalating cybersecurity threats, bridge the widening tech talent gap and ensure digital inclusion for all New Zealanders.
Most scathing were leaders' comments around the tech talent gap, which they said was becoming increasingly difficult to bridge.
"The fact that this country has to rely on IT workers coming in from overseas when there's people in this country in low-decile [communities] who don't earn enough money, I think, is absolutely disgusting," Fliway Group chief information officer Kevin Rowland said.
Key recommendations
• Prioritising security by design and enhancing collaboration to address cybersecurity risks.
• Investing in local talent, promoting Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education and partnering to close skill gaps.
• Improving infrastructure, making technology affordable and promoting digital literacy for digital inclusion.
• Implementing robust governance and standards for responsible AI use.
• Developing a national digital strategy and incentivising technology adoption for small and medium enterprises.
• Establishing clear policies for data use and enhancing data security.
By Nona Pelletier
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Scoop
Manawatū Tararua Highway Should Open As A Toll Road
Press Release – Infrastructure New Zealand New infrastructure such as the Manawat Tararua Highway comes with significant ongoing costs. Choosing not to use tolling doesnt make those costs disappear, it simply shifts the burden onto all New Zealand road users, including those who … The opening of Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway is a significant milestone for the lower North Island, with safety and travel times both set to improve. However, the decision not to toll the route is disappointing, says Infrastructure New Zealand. 'Not tolling the Manawatū Tararua Highway is a missed opportunity to help fund the ongoing maintenance and future resilience of this critical transport route through a 'user pays' approach,' says Chief Executive Nick Leggett. 'Tolling a new highway isn't about penalising the users of that road or the communities in the area. It's about being honest about the ongoing costs required to ensure the responsible management of the asset and ensuring that those who benefit from the road are making a direct contribution to its delivery and maintenance.' 'New Zealand's problem is that nobody thinks about maintaining a new road when it's nice and new, other than those who are responsible for building it. Those people don't control the money, though.' 'New infrastructure such as the Manawatū Tararua Highway comes with significant ongoing costs. Choosing not to use tolling doesn't make those costs disappear, it simply shifts the burden onto all New Zealand road users, including those who will never use the road,' Leggett says. 'If we want high-quality, modern infrastructure that is well maintained and resilient, we need to be smarter in how we manage and fund it. Having an annual amount of money generated from the road, means that New Zealanders can transparently follow that the money goes back into maintaining the road which generates it.' 'Tolling is one of the few tools we have that can directly link use with funding. It also helps protect the sustainability of the National Land Transport Fund so further investments can be made in critical transport projects into the future.' 'We need to be more inventive with how we fund and maintain infrastructure. Nothing should get off the ground without pricing road usage properly,' Leggett says. 'If New Zealand wants better infrastructure, it's going to need to do things differently at every stage of design, build and operations. That includes funding through tolls.'
Scoop
4 hours ago
- Scoop
Manawatū Tararua Highway Should Open As A Toll Road
The opening of Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway is a significant milestone for the lower North Island, with safety and travel times both set to improve. However, the decision not to toll the route is disappointing, says Infrastructure New Zealand. 'Not tolling the Manawatū Tararua Highway is a missed opportunity to help fund the ongoing maintenance and future resilience of this critical transport route through a 'user pays' approach,' says Chief Executive Nick Leggett. 'Tolling a new highway isn't about penalising the users of that road or the communities in the area. It's about being honest about the ongoing costs required to ensure the responsible management of the asset and ensuring that those who benefit from the road are making a direct contribution to its delivery and maintenance.' 'New Zealand's problem is that nobody thinks about maintaining a new road when it's nice and new, other than those who are responsible for building it. Those people don't control the money, though.' 'New infrastructure such as the Manawatū Tararua Highway comes with significant ongoing costs. Choosing not to use tolling doesn't make those costs disappear, it simply shifts the burden onto all New Zealand road users, including those who will never use the road,' Leggett says. 'If we want high-quality, modern infrastructure that is well maintained and resilient, we need to be smarter in how we manage and fund it. Having an annual amount of money generated from the road, means that New Zealanders can transparently follow that the money goes back into maintaining the road which generates it.' 'Tolling is one of the few tools we have that can directly link use with funding. It also helps protect the sustainability of the National Land Transport Fund so further investments can be made in critical transport projects into the future.' 'We need to be more inventive with how we fund and maintain infrastructure. Nothing should get off the ground without pricing road usage properly,' Leggett says. 'If New Zealand wants better infrastructure, it's going to need to do things differently at every stage of design, build and operations. That includes funding through tolls.'
Otago Daily Times
13 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Scraping the bottom of the barrel
Just when you think things can't get any worse, they often do. That is precisely what we have seen politically this week when it comes to the behaviour of our politicians. As if Leader of the House Chris Bishop's ill-conceived and poorly controlled ramblings at the Aotearoa Music Awards about a Stan Walker performance featuring Toitū Te Tiriti banners and people waving tino rangatiratanga flags weren't enough, the country had to endure even ghastlier behaviour in Parliament on Thursday. The debate about whether to endorse the recommendation to suspend three Te Pāti Māori MPs really showed New Zealanders the worst of Parliament. Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and Rawiri Waititi have now been barred from the House for seven days, 21 days and 21 days respectively for performing a haka in Parliament during debate last November about the waste of time, energy and money that was the Act party's contentious Treaty Principles Bill. Their intimidatory behaviour towards Act MPs then was at the core of the complaints considered by the Privileges Committee. Despite efforts by Opposition parties to reduce the length of the recommended suspensions, the government on Thursday ratified the committee's recommendations for punishments which, in the case of Ms Ngarewa-Packer and Mr Waititi, are the most severe ever handed down to MPs. While there can be little doubt that the behaviour of the three MPs last November was threatening and failed to meet the standards of Parliament, the severity seems unnecessarily vindictive. Interestingly, an RNZ poll of just over 1000 people, with a margin of error of 3.1 %, now shows that most respondents – 37% – think the punishment is 'about right" while 36.2% consider it too harsh. It is 'too lenient" in the minds of 17.2% of those surveyed. Of Labour Party supporters, 8% believe it should have been tougher, as do 3.8% of Green Party followers and, surprisingly, 9% of Te Pāti Māori supporters. The poll shows 54.2% of respondents either support the penalties or think they were too weak, a reflection of the government's view. While the impromptu haka by the three was seen by some as unacceptable and a breach of parliamentary protocol, it was Ms Ngarewa-Packer's foolish mimicry of shooting Act MPs which was the worst and most intimidatory action that day. The second she put her two fingers together, made the pretend gun and pointed it at Act leader David Seymour and colleagues marked the start of this whole sorry saga – though of course it can also be argued the real start came with the introduction of Mr Seymour's divisive Bill, allowed to happen by a prime minister too focused on stitching up a coalition deal with him at the top. The inciting incidents, the response and the reactions this week leave a stain on the reputation of Parliament. Some of the grandiloquence in the House on Thursday was vituperative and unwarranted. NZ First leader Winston Peters went way too far when he likened Mr Waititi's moko to scribbles, though he did apologise after the Speaker's intervention. Mr Waititi also stepped over the line by bringing a noose into the House. It was a bit rich for Mr Peters to tell RNZ it was a sad day in Parliament when he played a significant role in making it that. Parliament is no place for shrinking violets. We have seen that time and time again. It has had more than its share of biffo and nastiness over the years, which never led to suspensions anywhere near the length of those rubberstamped this week. Let us hope we don't see the like of this miserable drama again. Saw that coming It was always going to be a case of 'this town ain't big enough for the both of us". The implosion in recent days of United States President Donald Trump's simpering friendship with Elon Musk, the world's richest man, has been both highly predictable and highly amusing. Mr Musk has become increasingly caustic and is now calling for Mr Trump to be impeached. In turn, the president wants all Mr Musk's government contracts to be cancelled. When two such massive egos meet, there can only be one winner. Who that will ultimately be remains to be seen. In the meantime, let's be honest, the feud provides some much-needed light relief.
