By ADAM GIFFORD
The National Government's "Bright Future" strategy has no future under a radical rethink of the country's information technology needs.
The strategy, announced last August by then Enterprise and Commerce Minister Max Bradford, aimed to channel funds into school maths and science, tertiary scholarships, a Higher Learning Sector Taskforce and a $36 million "New Economy Research Fund."
Information Technology Minister Paul Swain said yesterday that Bright Future was always just an election slogan.
He said New Zealand needed to be seen as a net-smart nation. The Government's priorities were legislation permitting electronic signatures in commercial transactions, and preparing for an e-commerce summit planned for August.
However, the online ambitions contrasted with the several hours of pressure it took yesterday before officials located and e-mailed to the Business Herald copies of the Ministry of Economic Development briefing papers on e-commerce Mr Swain was releasing.
He said that indicated how much needed to be done.
"The electronic age challenges fundamental things in the way Governments do business."
For example, he did not share the Inland Revenue Department's optimism that our current tax regime was sound in terms of e-commerce, which could undermine nations' tax bases.
The papers identify a lack of coordination across government agencies, something Mr Swain said he would address.
He said the Government had a role in providing an infrastructure and education to help small and medium-sized businesses get into the electronic age. He was pushing for government agencies to adopt electronic tendering and procurement processes.
"The previous Government had a minimalist approach. The Bright Future approach was pretty dim - a few scholarships was not a strategy."
The briefing papers say that a future of high skills, high employment, a high value-added economy and reduced inequality depend on the Government understanding and developing the "New Economy."
The success of economic and regional development policies depended on factors including excellence in public education, encouragement of innovation and entrepreneurship, a research and development infrastructure, on-the-job training and focused development efforts that met local needs.
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