Y2K Commission sets priorities

By Adam Gifford

The year 2000 readiness commission has released its strategy for the months leading up to the millennium, with a strong message of "don't panic".

Spokesman John Bullock said that message, with overtones of both Dad's Army and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, is a reflection of the commission's belief that problems with the Y2K computer bug are manageable because of this country"s relatively small size.

"The government and private sectors are working together. It's not too late to manage this. There's no need to panic but people need to act now," Mr Bullock said.

The commission won't be repeating the advice of its British counterpart, which is telling Britons to stockpile at least two weeks of food in case of widespread computer systems failure.

"What's happening in New Zealand is a coordinated approach being taken. Key infrastructure groups have been meeting for some time to ensure supply of essential services continues.

"We need to share knowledge. We are a nation of team players."

In early February the 300,000 small and medium businesses will receive a package by direct mail, giving basic advice and pointing out how important they are to food and supply chains. The commission was given reprint rights to a booklet which BP prepared for its distributors and suppliers.

"One of the keys is a cooperative approach to ensure business continuity so any outage to supply can be carefully managed," Mr Bullock said.

The commission is also planning a local government summit in February.