CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE - WHAT IS ALREADY BEING DONE?

National Library

75. The National Library has been working at bridging the gap between those who have access to electronic information, and those who do not, since at least 1984, when the Library took a leading role in setting up an electronic link between New Zealand libraries. The Library has consistently pursued a three-pronged strategy in pursuit of its statutory function, concentrating on enabling access to the heritage content of its collections, and strengthening the capability of individuals and institutions to use information resources effectively. The Library considers these three elements should form the basic building blocks of any strategy that seeks to close the digital divide.

76. The Library's strategic plan for 1998 - 2003 includes a number of goals and objectives that drive policy development and/or research, or that will result in outputs that are relevant to the digital divide work:
    • Goal: To be a key adviser to government on the role of information in New Zealand's cultural and economic life, by 2003.
      • To prepare an inventory and critical analysis of New Zealand's library, information and documentary heritage resources and services for the identification of key policy advice areas, by December 2000.
      • To establish a policy for equitable access to information for people within New Zealand, by December 2001.
      • To establish a policy for information literacy within New Zealand, by December 2002

    • Goal: New Zealanders can access a comprehensive range of resources through a national electronic system, by 2001.
      • To implement a national strategy agreed with New Zealand information providers, for electronic access to resources, by December 2001.
      • To achieve an integrated electronic guide to New Zealand information resources by June 2000.

    • Goal: To ensure that all schools have tools to use and manage information effectively in support of the teaching of the New Zealand curriculum, by 2003.
      • To achieve national guidelines for library and information services in schools, by June 2001.
      • To develop an electronic curriculum information resource service that is accessible to all schools, by December 2001.
      • To establish strategies to meet the needs of targeted schools, by December 2003.

77. National Library activities relevant to the digital divide fall into three categories: content, capability and connectivity :

Content

78. The National Library is engaged in a series of projects that will add significantly to the amount of distinctively New Zealand content that is available on the Internet, and that will help to establish the Internet as culturally relevant to New Zealanders:
    • The Digital Library project will digitise material from the National Library's heritage collections and make these available electronically. Some material has already been made available in this way - examples are Timeframes, Te Waimano, and the Ranfurly Collection.

    • The online curriculum resource will enable schoolteachers and students to access online resources specifically selected for their relevance to the New Zealand curriculum. A pilot project is underway to provide secondary pupils with resources for the Arts Curriculum.

Capability

79. The National Library is intensively engaged with the capability issue through its strategic objectives relating to information literacy and through its advisory services to Maori.

80. Information literacy is primarily being addressed through the advisory services of the schools service, advocating the principle that information literacy is an essential learning skill for young New Zealanders, and that school libraries are a critical site for the acquisition of these skills. The National Library is working closely with the School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa on strategies that will raise the profile of information literacy within the education community, as well as highlighting linkages with other sectors.

81. The functions of the Services to Maori Unit include the provision of advice, recommendations and information on trends and issues related to the development of National Library service policies to meet the needs of Maori. There are three specialised positions within the unit called Takawaenga-a-Rohe, Maori district liaison librarians, appointed by Maori community representatives to live and work within their respective communities. Their main purpose is to assist with any aspect of Maori information needed by acting as a link between Maori and the library community. Takawaenga-a-Rohe are potentially a powerful mechanism for bridging the digital divide as it affects Maori.

Access

82. Both individual and institutional users have identified the cost of access as an obstacle. As well as connection costs, charges for access to content, and training costs also limit the extent to which citizens can be "connected". The National Library has a large and ongoing investment in improving New Zealanders' online connectivity through its web-based information service, Te Puna. Te Puna provides public access to the National Library's own catalogues and digital collections, and hosts a directory of New Zealand and Pacific web sites (previously hosted by Lincoln University). Te Puna also links more than 200 New Zealand libraries and their collections in a national network of information providers. Although the full range of Te Puna services is currently available only to subscribing libraries, some libraries do provide open access to their own clients (e.g. university faculty and students, or library members). Public access to subscriber services is otherwise usually via a librarian.

83. Libraries, especially public libraries, are one of the most accessible entry points for New Zealanders to connect with the world of electronic information. Most public libraries provide internet access, but the number of terminals that are available, the assistance that is provided to new users, and the cost of access, varies widely.

84. While Te Puna currently identifies and provides connections to a significant number of library collections and New Zealand websites, by no means does it provide complete coverage of New Zealand's information resources. One of the Library's strategic objectives is to prepare an inventory and critical analysis of New Zealand's library, information and documentary heritage resources and services. Among other things, this will provide a useful research base for identifying some of the strengths and weaknesses in the national information infrastructure.

85. A further objective of the Library is to develop a policy on equitable access to information within New Zealand. This work is likely to traverse a very similar terrain to the digital divide, including research that will be directly relevant. The basic premise for this work is that equitable access is a function of opportunity and capability. If either dimension is weak, then access is likely to be compromised. Capability is primarily here an attribute of individuals, while the policies and practises of institutions determine opportunity. On the capability axis, the main thrust of the Library's work is through information literacy. Many other institutions besides the National Library are delivering information, and have the potential to either assist or inhibit opportunities of access. The focus of the National Library is on documentary information held in publicly accessible library collections, and therefore one of the main components of this work is likely to be an assessment of the state of the public library infrastructure, in terms of the services and products that are being provided.

86. Access opportunities and questions of capability will also be aspects of the National guidelines for library and information services in schools, which are intended to be developed by June 2001. They will include recommended standards for the policies and practices of school libraries, and cover issues such as provision of access to ICT, and the ability of students to use ICT effectively and productively.

Te Puni Kokiri

Closing the Gaps

87. The information and communication technologies (ICT) sector is a critical component of the knowledge economy that is increasingly important to New Zealand. Continuing high employment growth is forecast for this sector and its 'elimination of distance' feature for businesses provides considerable opportunities for economic and export development. There is growing concern that Maori are not able to participate fully in the knowledge economy (Te Puni Kökiri, Noting Paper on the Development of Maori Knowledge Industries).

88. The Chief Executive of Te Puni Kökiri, Dr Ngatata Love, has identified the 'expansion of local knowledge-based industries' as a factor influencing the growth of the Maori economic base. Te Puni Kökiri is committed to facilitating Maori ICT business development through the Capacity Building scheme and the Maori Business Facilitation Service. Capacity Building funding, together with guidance from the newly established Maori Business Facilitation Service (MBFS) are two Te Puni Kökiri initiatives in place to provide communities and organisations with assistance in development and implementation of ICT strategies.

Maori Spectrum Charitable Trust

89. Maori participation is to be boosted as a result of the establishment of a pan-Maori trust that has been given the exclusive right to purchase one of the four blocks of third generation spectrum in the 2GHz auction. The Trust will be required to pay for the spectrum block at a price of 95% of the lowest price received at auction. The Government is also providing seed funding of up to $5 million to assist the Trust to establish a commercial arrangement for utilising the spectrum.

90. The Trust, chaired by Quotable Value New Zealand CEO Bill Osborne, has held its initial meeting. Mr Osborne was quoted as saying that the trustees have been chosen because of their wealth of experience and involvement in the Maori community", and that "they should be able to steer the Trust towards achieving its purpose of increasing Maori participation in the knowledge economy". There has been some criticism of the lack of technical expertise of the trustees, to which Mr Osborne has responded that the group has been assembled for its ability to represent Maori, and technical skills can be bought in as needed.

Knowledge as a taonga

91. Maori success in the knowledge economy is central to honouring the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, particularly in the respect of intellectual property rights, and the Article 3 right of full participation in New Zealand society. The special relationship between tangata whenua and the Crown acknowledges the right of a distinct Maori position based on the Maori view of knowledge as a taonga.

92. The Waitangi Tribunal has noted that taonga means "all things highly prized" by Maori. This includes tangibles such as fishing grounds, harbours, and foreshores and intangibles such as the Maori language, culture and knowledge. In a split decision the majority of the Waitangi Tribunal noted the importance of ICT: "Maori must have hands-on ownership and management if they are able to foot it in the 'knowledge economy', as we believe they must in the coming millennium." (Waitangi Tribunal Final Report on Radio Spectrum Management and Development Claim, Wai 776).

93. Maori place great importance on the concept of cultural property. Rights of ownership of knowledge and information have been created over generations by the group, which differs from the greater emphasis of individualism found in Pakeha culture. The 1999 Information Technology Advisory Group report states that the ease in which knowledge and content can be distributed, for example over the Internet, 'may present challenges to Maori as they become increasingly involved in the knowledge economy, [and also] to Pakeha who seek to unilaterally use Maori knowledge.'

94. Maori stewardship (kaitiakitanga) of knowledge contains an element of knowledge withholding. The sharing of knowledge imposes obligations on both the sharer and receiver. Traditionally, the acquisition of knowledge was surrounded by sanctions, reflecting the tapu nature of knowledge. These traditions may clash with the openness of the Internet and the knowledge economy.

95. For example, a particular issue regarding kaitiakitanga emerged when the Maori Land Court (MLC) digitised its archive of multiple-owned land title records. This database was created to make the information more accessible and will in time create a series of genealogical information. Maori opposition to the manipulation, transport and display of tapu records forced the removal of many of the records. Issues raised by the MLC experience include:
    • the need for greater consultation before Maori knowledge is digitised;
    • the need to discuss Internet accessibility to knowledge (kaitiakitanga issues); and
    • ownership of intellectual property (Treaty of Waitangi framework).

Other initiatives

96. In June 2000, Te Puni Kökiri published Maori in the New Zealand Economy: 2nd Edition. This features a section on the status of Maori in the knowledge economy (pp.35-37). While providing statistical information and descriptions of Maori owned ICT businesses, it brings attention to the "severe lack of recent and reliable statistical information on Maori businesses, including information technology interests".

97. From 1993, with assistance from Te Puni Kökiri, Ngata Memorial College in Ruatoria and a cluster of East Coast schools and Kura Kaupapa from Te Araroa to Gisborne pioneered the use of audiographics. This technology enables the establishment of virtual classrooms through the use of two phone lines, one for voice transmission and the other for computer images. Te Puni Kökiri also sponsored project E-Hui, in which in which Kura Kaupapa were supplied with a computer and a modem.

98. The perceived importance of up-skilling Maori to participate in the knowledge economy can be seen in use of Treaty of Waitangi settlement funds to provide tertiary education scholarships. Other examples of iwi-based initiatives are the establishment of Wananga IT courses and the policy of Te Wananga o Raukawa requiring all students to purchase Internet capable computers.

99. Te Köhanga Reo has linked its 704 licensed köhanga reo centres by means of the Internet, connecting over 13,000 children. They have a well-designed web site at http://www.kohanga.ac.nz. Te Köhanga have indicated that if funding were provided they would welcome the opportunity to provide the greater Maori community with access to ICT.

100. Te Puni Kökiri is working with the Ministry of Economic Development to enable the provision of 'recycled' computers to schools on the East Coast (Tairawhiti). Project Rorohiko provides Government department computers, which have become surplus to requirements, to schools that do not meet the 1 PC to 3 students criterion.

101. Currently Te Puni Kökiri is leading a multi-agency group investigating assisting Te Rünanga o te Whanau (Eastern Bay of Plenty) in the development of a 'Cisco Regional Academy' to train students in network engineering.

Ministry of Women's Affairs

102. The Ministry of Women's Affairs is the Government's primary provider of gender-specific advice. It makes a significant contribution to the Government's desired outcomes for women and to the Government's social and economic objectives as expressed in the Key Government Goals to guide public sector policy and performance. The Ministry's work is driven by the following goals for women: equity, opportunity and choice, full and active participation, adequate resources, no discrimination and a society that values the contribution of women.

103. To achieve these goals the Ministry will provide Ministers with advice on public policy issues that will assist women to achieve improved levels of participation and achievement in education, employment and the economy.

104. One of the Ministry's key priorities for this year will be to provide the Minister of Women's Affairs with advice on the medium to long term future jobs for women, with a focus on the ICT sector. Given the changes not only in the nature of economic activity currently taking place, it is not surprising that equally fundamental changes are occurring in the forms in which men and women, Maori and Pacific people, are involved in the economy, that is the nature of work.

105. This project will initially focus on four areas:
     • Changes in the composition of employment by gender, ethnicity, industry and occupation, and particularly the decline in the share of employment in goods producing industries and the rise in the information and knowledge based services and industries;
     • Changes in the relative position of men and women, Maori and Pacific people, in the labour market;
     • The decline in full-time employment; and
     • The development of a core and periphery trend in the labour market, whereby employers are coming to rely increasingly on a core group of skilled, prime-age workers, whose earnings and hours worked continue to rise, while many other workers have an increasingly peripheral relationship to employment, and, as a consequence, there is increased clustering of jobs by family type and neighbourhood.

106. The project will then move into its second phase. The second phase will ostensibly involve the analysis of the information gathered in stage one.

107. While this project is reflected in the Ministry of Women's Affairs Statement of Intent 2000/2001, the objectives are yet to be signed off by the Minister of Women's Affairs.