Māori ICT Gathering - Tūranganui-a-Kiwa
Wa: 10am - 3pm
Ra: Thursday 26 March 2015
Wāhi: The Mindlab, Shed 3, 48 The Esplande, Tūranganui a Kiwa Gisborne
Kaupapa: Te Mangai Paho is the agency responsible for administering the Maori ICT Fund and will be visiting with us to hear what Maori perspectives are in regard to the Maori ICT Fund.
We are in a unique position to come together and respond to a number of whakaaro that are being posed through the consultation document (still to be published) and at the the upcoming engagement hui in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Who should attend?
More background:
Maori ICT fund 'wide-ranging
Written 'TOM PULLAR-STRECKER
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/64935785/maori-ict-fund-wideranging
Maori broadcast funding agency Te Mangai Paho expects to release a consultation document by the end of the month on how to spend a new $30 million ICT fund for Maori.
Chief executive John Bishara said no decisions had been made on the "wide-ranging" uses to which the fund could be put, but said the money might not stretch far if spent on communications infrastructure.
"At one end of the spectrum you have got $10 apps and at the other $100m infrastructure possibilities; it is all 'ICT'. One of the important things is we don't have any preconceived ideas."
The fund was approved by the Government last year after it rejected a Maori claim to "digital dividend" radio spectrum that was freed up by the closure of analogue television.
The spectrum fetched $270m and is being used by Spark, Vodafone and 2degrees to roll-out 4G mobile broadband.
Communications Minister Amy Adams has previously signalled the fund could help pay for digital literacy initiatives, scholarships, broadband for marae and apps that supported Maori language content.
The Maori Affairs Ministry appointed Te Mangai Paho to administer the fund in August and must approve its business case.
Bishara said there was no rush as the money would not in any case become available until the new financial year in July. "The approach we have taken is 'let's do a good job on consulting' and then we can put the case together with our normal annual planning documents."
Hui would be held around the country in February to get feedback on the discussion document, he said.
Maori Internet Society chairman Karaitiana Taiuru said there was no consensus yet on how the fund should be used and he believed most Maori had an open mind. "People are waiting for the consultation document to come out."
However, he hoped it could help improve fibre or wireless internet access for Maori, saying a lot of communities were "missing out", and help more Maori get trained in high-level programming and networking skills.
The money will be allocated to Te Mangai Paho over six years. Bishara speculated that if the fund proved effective it was possible the funding might become continuous, rather than the $30m contribution being a "one-off".
Non-Maori as well as Maori would be able to respond to the consultation document, he said. "It is a public document and anybody can comment on it."
- © Fairfax NZ News
Ra: Thursday 26 March 2015
Wāhi: The Mindlab, Shed 3, 48 The Esplande, Tūranganui a Kiwa Gisborne
Kaupapa: Te Mangai Paho is the agency responsible for administering the Maori ICT Fund and will be visiting with us to hear what Maori perspectives are in regard to the Maori ICT Fund.
We are in a unique position to come together and respond to a number of whakaaro that are being posed through the consultation document (still to be published) and at the the upcoming engagement hui in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Who should attend?
- Anyone with an interest in stimulating Maori participation in the ICT sector;
- Anyone with an interest in increasing the economic development for Maori using ICT;
- Anyone interested in innovation and creativity for Maori;
- Anyone with an interest in increasing access to te reo Maori and te ao Maori and Maori culture using ICT.
More background:
Maori ICT fund 'wide-ranging
Written 'TOM PULLAR-STRECKER
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/64935785/maori-ict-fund-wideranging
Maori broadcast funding agency Te Mangai Paho expects to release a consultation document by the end of the month on how to spend a new $30 million ICT fund for Maori.
Chief executive John Bishara said no decisions had been made on the "wide-ranging" uses to which the fund could be put, but said the money might not stretch far if spent on communications infrastructure.
"At one end of the spectrum you have got $10 apps and at the other $100m infrastructure possibilities; it is all 'ICT'. One of the important things is we don't have any preconceived ideas."
The fund was approved by the Government last year after it rejected a Maori claim to "digital dividend" radio spectrum that was freed up by the closure of analogue television.
The spectrum fetched $270m and is being used by Spark, Vodafone and 2degrees to roll-out 4G mobile broadband.
Communications Minister Amy Adams has previously signalled the fund could help pay for digital literacy initiatives, scholarships, broadband for marae and apps that supported Maori language content.
The Maori Affairs Ministry appointed Te Mangai Paho to administer the fund in August and must approve its business case.
Bishara said there was no rush as the money would not in any case become available until the new financial year in July. "The approach we have taken is 'let's do a good job on consulting' and then we can put the case together with our normal annual planning documents."
Hui would be held around the country in February to get feedback on the discussion document, he said.
Maori Internet Society chairman Karaitiana Taiuru said there was no consensus yet on how the fund should be used and he believed most Maori had an open mind. "People are waiting for the consultation document to come out."
However, he hoped it could help improve fibre or wireless internet access for Maori, saying a lot of communities were "missing out", and help more Maori get trained in high-level programming and networking skills.
The money will be allocated to Te Mangai Paho over six years. Bishara speculated that if the fund proved effective it was possible the funding might become continuous, rather than the $30m contribution being a "one-off".
Non-Maori as well as Maori would be able to respond to the consultation document, he said. "It is a public document and anybody can comment on it."
- © Fairfax NZ News