Bringing everyone on the journey

The benefits of the digital world should be available to all. We can not afford to leave any New Zealanders behind on this journey. The government’s commitment, in collaboration with local champions and the Digital Development Council, is to link and share knowledge and information across a national network offering inclusive access to the internet.

This Strategy contains a commitment to rollout a national network of digital hubs, building on the successful start made by the Aotearoa People’s Network, which provides computers, training, mentoring and internet access in public libraries. These hubs are a key part of the Strategy’s commitment to digital literacy – giving New Zealanders the skills and confidence to use digital technologies. For some communities, a marae, a computer clubhouse in a school or a scheme that puts computers in homes may be the best starting point for providing inclusive access to the digital world.

This national network will also provide ‘community kete’ – platforms for communities to create and store their own, locally relevant content. These kete will be based on open standards, so their content can link into the Digital New Zealand programme. Digital New Zealand aims to make New Zealand content – including from government, libraries and community and cultural groups – easy to find and use. 
The programme will digitise non-digital content, collect and cache existing digital content and build smart, freely available search and discovery tools.

The internet and the digital world bring not just opportunities, but also threats. Funding for NetSafe, a world-leading not-for-profit organisation that works to keep users safe online, is being increased.

Digital Strategy 2.0 acknowledges that Mäori digital development – to support Mäori cultural, community, economic and environmental goals – is important for New Zealand as a whole. As tangata whenua of New Zealand, Mäori have a special place in the digital world. Mäori create digital content with unique mätauranga, tikanga and kaupapa. This differentiates New Zealand from any other country and is globally valuable. Mäori also make up a significant and growing proportion of our workforce – so it is increasingly important that Mäori are included in, and participate in, the digital world.