NZTech Update – Ensuring safe digital identity for everyone

Kia Ora

At the Digital Nations Summit in February, we hosted five future focused forums bringing together tech leaders, international experts, government agencies, Ministers and NGO’s to workshop the impact of technology on our economy and society. Separate forums discussed Future of Education and the Workforce, Future Health, Future Finance, Future Production and Future Society. Each forum identified the vital requirements to ensure a safe and prosperous future for all Kiwis. However, there was only one issue that spanned every single forum – digital identity.

In an increasingly digital world, having a safe, effective means of identity is critical in ensuring ease of access to services as broad as banking, tax, government services, online purchases, paying rent, visiting the hospital and more.

For the past six months a group of individuals from government agencies, tech firms, banks and other corporates have been collaborating on New Zealand’s future approach to digital identity. Having grown in size with a clear vision to ensure New Zealand is a country where people can express their identity using validated and trusted digital means in order to fully participate in a digital economy and society, this group officially launches today as Digital Identity New Zealand.

Delivering the next iteration of digital identity will be critical to ensuring every Kiwi can participate in a future New Zealand. If you can’t attend todays launch in Auckland, please visit the website and see how you can actively be involved.

On Wednesday, I will spend most of the day in Wellington with the Ministry of Education and MBIE, working on leveraging Techweek to help inspire more Kiwi kids into futures with work and to help SME’s build their tech capabilities.

I return to Auckland on Thursday, in time to Chair the ICT Grad School’s final board meeting of 2018. It has been an excellent year for the school, producing many new post-graduates with much needed tech skills. If you’d like to learn more about how to get one of these grads check out them out online.

As we enter the final working weeks of the year, I hope you can create a balance between Christmas parties, last minute deadlines and fun times with family and friends.

Ng? mihi
Graeme Muller
CEO
NZTech

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CONNECT

Canterbury Tech’s AGM and Quiz night is tomorrow evening in Christchurch. Attend the 123Tech national champs on Wednesday in Wellington.

Attend NZSA’s final networking event for the year on 11 December with RedShield Security’s CEO and co-founder Andy Prow.

Connect with Tech Marketers this week in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland. Save the date for the Tech Marketers conference on 28 February, 2019.

PROMOTE

Register to attend the Future Government Summit, 26-27 February, 2019. The summit examines how we can enable an entrepreneurial government and create a roadmap for the future. Includes GovTech, tech trends, innovation and more.

Be inspired by previous Hi-Tech Award winners and gain tips on preparing a great entry. Attend the 2019 launch events 5 December in Wellington and 6 December in Christchurch. The 2019 Gala Dinner is 24 May in Auckland.

Save the date for the T-Tech, New Zealand’s Future Transport Conference, 6-7 May 2019 in Christchurch. Submissions are now open for presentations. Registrations are open for 2019 Export Essentials workshops throughout New Zealand.

ADVANCE

In March, the UK will leave the European Union. Following Brexit, New Zealand and the UK will negotiate a free trade agreement. MFAT would like your views on what should be included. Submissions close 11 February, 2019.

Digital Identity NZ launches this evening in Auckland. Executive director, Andrew Weaver says that while New Zealanders are using digital identity in everyday transactions there is incredible potential in how it can be used in the future. Read more.

Final submissions for the R&D Tax Incentive close 14 December. Read Minister Woods full update here.
Join the AI Forum at the 31st Australasian Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence 11-14 December in Wellington. Save the date for AI-Day on 28 March.

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