Submission to 2025 Taskforce on Productivity Improvements
Submission on ICT Related Initiatives to Improve Productivity and Close the Income Gap with Australia.
This submission was made on behalf of the NZICT Group Members, and input from related organisations including the Spatial Industries Business Association (SIBA), Health IT Cluster and Sidhe Interactive.
Snapshot:
NZICT welcomes the approach taken by the Government in establishing the 2025 Taskforce to address initiatives to improve productivity and close the income gap with Australia. ICT is a core platform for the economy, both in terms of providing productivity gains for individual businesses, and in opening up opportunities for generating “weightless” digitally based exports, e.g. software and applications. Australia will be the primary market for these exports, therefore being able to access this market is of critical importance.
There are five areas that need focus, investment and promotion to fully realise the potential returns of an ICT based economy. They are: Infrastructure, People (skills), Applications, Process and Attitude. All are co-dependent and all are equally the weakest link if not developed. Australia has a well developed cohesive plan for their digital economy that New Zealand should at least mirror if it intends to improve productivity and close the income gap with our major trading partner.
Read the full submission (PDF format)