Spotlight swings to high-tech

By CHRIS BARTON

The information and communications technology (ICT) sector is one area the Government is targeting for "Growing an Innovative New Zealand".

But detail about how that growth may occur is scant.

One reason the sector has been singled out is because, at 10.2 per cent, New Zealand has the world's highest ICT spending as a percentage of GDP - ahead of the United States at 9 per cent.

"We're pretty encouraged by seeing ICT is now an area of focus. It's an area where New Zealand has considerable strength and can develop well," said Jim O'Neill, executive director of the Information Technology Association of New Zealand (ITANZ).

He said the association was looking forward to working with the Government to develop priorities.

ICT subsectors include telecommunications, IT hardware, software and services, internet services and wireless technologies.

The report acknowledges that some of these subsectors, such as semiconductor manufacturing, are unlikely to offer significant opportunities.

But others, such as wireless technology, offer more potential.

The report highlights Talon Technologies, Ericsson-Synergy, Vodafone, Pulse Data, Tait Electronics and Jade as examples to follow.

Much is also made of the Ericsson-Synergy joint venture, which may get up to $1.6 million of Government funding over three years.

Another proposal outlined in the Boston Consulting Group report on increasing foreign direct investment is to develop Centres for Research Excellence.

The report says these have been funded at $15 million a year over the next three years, and will centre on universities to encourage specialisation and skill transfers.

Read the full reports:

Government of New Zealand

Growing an innovative New Zealand

Part 2

Herald features

Catching the knowledge wave

Global Kiwis

Proud to be a Kiwi

Our turn

The jobs challenge