14 February 2011

InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) is pleased to announce endorsement from a multitude of community and sector organisations for NetHui 2011, the inaugural multi-stakeholder conference targeted at Internet issues. NetHui 2011 will be held over three days from 29 June – 1 July 2011 in Auckland at the SkyCity Convention Centre. Registrations open today with the launch of the event website at www.nethui.org.nz .

"It's fantastic to see this level of support from across New Zealand" says InternetNZ Chief Executive Vikram Kumar. "This is recognition and understanding that we all need to work together to make best use of the Internet for our society and our economy and to face the many challenges that the Internet presents."

Sector and community organisations across the spectrum that have so far endorsed the event include the New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development, Ministry of Economic Development, Core Education, Consumer NZ, New Zealand ICT Group, Māori Internet Society/Te Whānau Ipurangi Ō te Ao, Crown Fibre Holdings, 2020 Communications, Research and Education Advanced Network, NetSafe, New Zealand Computer Society and Creative Commons Aotearoa.

“While there has been a lot of discussion recently about broadband, the very nature of the way the Internet functions is being seriously questioned globally – the NetHui will be where the industry debates those issues in a New Zealand context,” says Brett O’Reilly, CEO of NZICT.

"The Internet has brought huge social and economic benefits. NetHui 2011 will be a chance to discuss those and importantly the responsibilities that go with those benefits,” says Sue Chetwin, Chief Executive, Consumer NZ.
An Advisory Board is being established to reflect the many communities and sectors. Members so far include: Rod Drury - Founder and CEO of Xero, Judge David Harvey - District Court Judge, Brendon Boyle - Chief Executive of Department of Internal Affairs and NZ Government CIO, Richard Orzecki - Chair of Māori Internet Society/Te Whānau Ipurangi Ō te Ao, Brett O'Riley - CEO of NZICT Group, Mike O'Donnell - Head of Operations at TradeMe, and Sue Chetwin - Chief Executive of Consumer NZ.

"NetHui is an occasion for forward-looking debate and discussion surrounding ICT and associated issues – necessary for anyone interested in the future," says Judge David Harvey, District Court Judge.

"In 2011 the World Wide Web turns 21. Over that time the web has gone from brave new world to the default way we live our lives, from paying power bills to cheating at pub quizzes. Given the speedy infiltration of the Internet into our lives, it is surprising that little has happened in terms of trying to get our head around the big picture here in little old New Zealand. It’s my hope that NetHui 2011 will provide that opportunity," Mike O’Donnell (MOD), Head of Operations, TradeMe.

InternetNZ is organising NetHui 2011 as a platform for all those involved with the Internet in New Zealand to involve their communities. InternetNZ will act as a nucleus, with people, drawn from communities and sectors, planning and running individual discussion areas.

The theme for the 2011 conference is “Shaping our Future Together”. The first two days of the conference are participatory discussions while the third day brings together those discussions into a panel format.

“We are enthusiastic about organising a conference which reflects the Internet itself- involving everyone in the community as an equal and valued participant. InternetNZ envisions a conference bringing together different perspectives on Internet-related issues leading to networked action," says Kumar.

ENDS

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