27 May 2005

Accelerating Small Business into E-Commerce Loop

The future is here, with the internet being used more and more for online transactions.

Government is part funding a pilot e-commerce Accelerator Project (cost: $500,000). The pilot aims to get more small businesses into on-line marketing and exporting. The project will be managed by the E- Regions Trust (E-regions is a non-government organisation established during the national rollout of high speed Internet and PROBE regional broadband). The pilot will assist 30 small businesses who will receive: a website, technical support, high-speed Internet service, sales and marketing advice, e-commerce training and mentoring in order to develop international trade of their goods.

See Hon Rick Barker Media Release

The Government's Digital Strategy

This fits neatly into the Governments Digital Strategy: Creating Our Digital Future

It is the intention of this strategy to ensure that all New Zealanders are able to create, access, use and share information and knowledge so that individuals and communities can achieve their full potential.

For this strategy to be successful, especially in the rural areas where technological infrastructure needs to be established, so rural people can get online without having to bear exorberant costs, the Ministry of Economic Development needs communities, local governemnt and the provate sector to be actively inovlved and to provide advice and feedback.

Get Digital!!