Foreword
E-Commerce: Building the Strategy for New Zealand sets out a vision which I urge all New Zealanders to take up:
New Zealand will be world-class in embracing e-commerce for competitive advantage.
Five years ago people were talking cautiously about the potential of the Internet. Today few would question that the rapid advance of information technology, the growth of global networks, and the application of e-commerce are opening up the scope of opportunities for business beyond anything predicted. 
A revolution is happening that we are only just beginning to understand.
Its implications for all New Zealand businesses, large and small, are profound.
Information technology is fundamentally changing the way we communicate and do business, and changing the consumer choices we enjoy.
Knowledge, information, imagination, ideas, and innovation are emerging as our greatest assets.
E-commerce opens up vast new opportunities to develop new products and services, exploit new markets, create new networks and relationships, and to reduce the cost of doing business.
At the same time, the revolution also represents substantial new risks. The pace of technology change, the scope and speed with which information can flow, the globalisation of consumer tastes, and the aggressive competition for highly-skilled people are putting new pressures on business.
Businesses should give urgent priority to understanding how to exploit the full potential of e-commerce. We cannot afford to be left behind. We have the opportunity to be in front.
This Strategy sets out the Government's commitment to provide leadership through example, and to help build the capability of New Zealanders. We want to ensure that all citizens have access to the new technology, and to provide an enabling regulatory environment in which e-commerce can flourish.
It is the beginning of a process of partnership between government, business, and the broader community to ensure that all New Zealanders are able to benefit and participate in a rapidly growing e-commerce environment.
It is fitting that New Zealand, the first to see the dawn of the new millennium, should strive to be at the forefront in exploiting cyberspace to enhance our economic prosperity and links with the world.
Hon Paul Swain
Minister for Information Technology
Minister of Commerce
Minister of Communications
Back to Top