PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE MADE THE TOUGH DECISION TO POSTPONE THIS EVENT UNTIL LATER IN THE YEAR DUE TO ISSUES AROUND THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK. PLEASE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE RESCHEDULED DATE.

It has now been 3 and a half years since the original rural broadband initiative was completed, which focused on the delivery of improved connectivity to homes and businesses in rural Aotearoa. Since then further investment has been made in bringing improved mobile and wireless broadband to rural NZ based on a national approach to connectivity.

Arising out of various hui and conferences on the topic of rural connectivity, there has been a recognition that there was a significant gap in the delivery, the lack of connectivity to Marae across Aotearoa. The Government in 2019 allocated funding to Te Puni Kōkiri and Crown Infrastructure Partners to specifically address this need. However at the most recent NetHui, hosted by InternetNZ, various delegates expressed their concern over the lack of progress and that any national programme would not meet the specific local needs of Hapū and Iwi.

Along with our local partner, Ngā Pūmanawa e Waru, we are proposing to facilitate the hosting of a national hui in Rotorua in late March at which representatives of Māori organisations, Marae, and other decision makers can come together to kōrero to help in the sharing of knowledge and stories on how to successfully implement connectivity at Marae. It will also be one way of gathering shared aspirations for the connected marae programme which can be shared with the broader user community, the media, and decision makers in both Government and the technology and connectivity industry.

We will be breaking the day down into three simple, but hopefully effective sessions : reflecting on the past, reviewing the present and talking about the future. Our vision for the day is very much about collectively identifying solutions for the way forward.

TUANZ as the independent association representing all users of digital technology and connectivity, is providing our effort to bring groups together to kōrero on this very important topic. We also acknowledge Vodafone and InternetNZ as other key partners of the event.

We look forward to you joining us in this critical event.