Stephen Blyth's Blog

It works – Digital Development New Zealand

Sunday, August 17th, 2008, Policy, stats, etc

In answer to all the skeptics, the council of Digital Development New Zealand (DDNZ) have made a bold statement for their search results: “it works”. Well, that’s the title to a Google search result for the DDNZ.

I’m not sure if this intentional or a hack from a prankster over at Kiwiblog, where skeptics abound. These voices are reaching a high pitch. Red Kea sums up the tenor by asking: “please explain to me what the Digital Development Council does? I’m guessing something between NOTHING and NILCH.” (For enraged commentary see “A solid choice”).

Without being able to see a work programme and give the folk involved a chance, this seems a bit harsh. But I guess some people jump straight for the jugular without considering the facts.

Within the community and voluntary sector there is some optimism the Council and associated forum will be a venue to promote a stragey for investment in ICT capacity building for the sector.

Dave Henderson, coordinator of ANGOA and long-time community worker, is the first voluntary sector rep. Sitting alongside him is Don Hollander chair of 2020 Communications Trust, who brings a strong community ICT voice.

DDNZ is a Wellington invention superseding the Digital Strategy Advisory Group and related bodies. Guiding it’s work will be a wide forum, which will eventually appoint the organisation’s council. Exactly how this is to work in practice, without everyone getting tied up in knots, is an open question.

The first forum is due to be held in late September, though nothing is official as yet. In fact, Stephen Bell reports in Computerworld Computerworld things have fallen behind. To quote from the article “Delayed Digital Development Forum to debut soon” (13 August 2008), Bell states:

The formation of the Digital Development Forum, a crucial part of the ICT representative group Digital Development New Zealand, is a little delayed, but not enough to worry its government backers, according to Ministry of Economic Development link-man Brad Ward.

For the sake of New Zealanders who are missing out on skills and access to use ICT deprived and the groups that serve them it will be good for the DDNZ to get off to a flying state.