InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand inc) presents the election debate NetVision 2011, focused on New Zealand's Digital Future. Major political parties will present and debate their visions across economic, social, cultural, environmental and government perspectives. NetVision 2011 will be held at Wellington’s City Gallery on Tuesday 18 October from 7-9pm. It will also be streamed live on the Internet.A panel of Political Party spokespeople are participating in NetVision 2011 including Hon Steven Joyce (National), Clare Curran (Labour), Gareth Hughes (Green) and Peter McCaffrey (ACT). Confirmation from the Māori Party is awaited. Sean Plunket is to MC the event, and journalists including Rob O’Neill and Sarah Putt will be on hand to quiz the politicians. They will also put questions posted on Twitter using the hashtag #Net11 to the politicians.

Future:Digital Document:

Complementary to NetVision 2011, InternetNZ has published Future: Digital – A discussion starter on priorities for a future Government. Future:Digital calls for developing a vision of New Zealand’s digital future. It’s about economic growth, a digitally inclusive society, our multicultural identity and the environment.

The Future: Digital document is available now through InternetNZ’s Election 2011 page at: http://internetnz.net.nz/net11 or directly as a PDF from http://tinyurl.com/futuredig. Links to the NetVision 2011 video stream will also be posted on InternetNZ’s Election 2011 page.

Comment:

InternetNZ Chief Executive Vikram Kumar says InternetNZ is honoured to host NetVision 2011, providing a platform for serious discussion about New Zealand’s digital future and the policies of each political party. This is the third election debate that InternetNZ has been involved in. “The Internet marks a step change in New Zealand’s access to markets, people and knowledge. The Internet is disruptive, changing almost every aspect of our lives. The solutions and opportunities are global, as are the big forces and challenges we face. One challenge for political parties and the public is to think about the opportunities and challenges comprehensively to drive fundamental change rather than compartmentalise it as 'ICT portfolio' issues".

Kumar says Future:Digital is a discussion document. “Future: Digital is about the need for a shared, common vision for where New Zealand will be in 10 to 20 years time. The economic opportunity is for high growth, exports, jobs, productivity, wages, returns and prosperity. The social, cultural, environmental and government impacts are profound. All elements have to be woven together to form a fabric of fundamental change."

“The time has come for us all to embrace the technological and social change occurring, or be consigned to ignorance and missed opportunities,” says Kumar.