Last week Rural Connect looked at the Labour Party's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy around the convergence of broadcasting and telecommunications and the need therefore, for new regulations.
We considered that the need for regulation covering technical aspects of broadcasting via the Internet no longer existed, leaving only content as an area to regulate. We argued that content regulation could cover only censorship and access to Internet sites which are areas where governments ought not be involved.
This week, we continue with a look at the Labour Party's ICT policies and check out the policies of the National, Maori and Green parties.
Like its policy on broadcasting and telecoms convergence, the Labour Party policy on the digital divide is blinkered. The digital divide can be defined as the difference between those who use computers and the Internet, and those who do not. Labour's focus is on those who "can't afford it". Our own study of broadband demand in Franklin (March 2010) showed that a lack of use of the internet was because of factors such as not having a connection, having slow access, or having no perceived need for access. Not being able to afford a computer and/or Internet access was certainly cited, but not as a major reason.
The Green Party policy acknowledges that the developments in ICT have "...huge potential to benefit our society..." but are not at all specific on how those benefits are to be harvested.
The Maori Party policies offer specific and actionable plans to address the digital divide but are focused on maori. When releasing the policy, co-leader Tariana Turia said, "Our 2011 Digital Technology policy reflects the importance that we place on digital literacy and connection as an essential base for strong and resilient whanau, hapu and iwi".
The Maori Party plan is to establish digital hubs in communities and rural marae, expand employment opportunities in ICT, make computers available to those without them and to give a subsidy to those who opt to receive government communications via email.
The National Party remains committed to "...ensuring New Zealand gains broadband speeds that are among the fastest...". Good, but it seems, only for those that live in urban centres. They are clearly resting on their achievements of the urban ultrafast broadband program but claim to be "... developing vastly improved broadband infrastructure and connection speeds in rural areas, ensuring that no New Zealand communities miss out on the promise of the digital age." The rural broadband initiative will not ensure this for rural people.
The means to achieve this economically, is to utilise the 700MHZ radio spectrum for fixed rural broadband. In government, the National Party policy aligns with that of the Ministry of Economic Development, to make 4G wireless frequencies available to mobile providers to "turbo-charge mobile broadband."
What is needed to ensure no one misses out on the digital age is for this commitment to be directed at rural communities as well.
Instead, National continue to talk about E-education, E-health, E-government, E-business, and E-development as a means to realise the economic, social, and productivity benefits of much faster broadband.
When it comes to broadband, the major political parties contending the election in four weeks, either have no specific policy, or direct their policy at urban dwellers or Maori. Rural New Zealand has simply been forgotten about.
Next week, Rural Connect will offer some specific policy objectives which, if adopted by the government, would serve to realise the promised economic, social and environmental benefits for all.