Communiqué from LIAC following the meeting of 2 July 2004
LIAC warmly welcomed Brian Pauling as a new Commissioner. Brian was appointed by Hon. Marian Hobbs to fill the recent vacancy. Brian is based at the New Zealand Broadcasting School at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology and will provide a valuable addition to the skills already represented on LIAC.
Lois Searle, National Library Policy Analyst was also welcomed to the meeting. Lois will be in attendance at LIAC meetings to provide an ongoing link with the Library’s Policy Unit.
Ainslie Dewe reported on her recent visit to London where she met with Chris Batt, Chief Executive of MLA (Museums, Libraries and Archives Council). MLA has agreed to be an international reference group for LIAC. During their discussions Chris outlined the ‘Networking Knowledge’ initiative (see: http://www.mla.gov.uk/action/iik/iik_e.asp ) designed to increase public access to digital content held in museums, libraries and archives. LIAC will consider the possibility of a similar approach in relation to New Zealand’s Draft Digital Strategy. Whilst in London Ainslie also met with the Presidential Team of CILIP, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (see: http://www.cilip.org.uk/about/president_diaryJune04.html#adewe ). The Team were very impressed with the EPIC initiative, and interested in LIAC’s responsibilities with respect to Mātauranga Māori.
The Commission spent most of the meeting considering its response to the Draft Digital Strategy consultation document, and will meet again later in July to finalise the feedback. This will be presented first to the Minister and then made publicly available.
LIAC welcomed three visitors to the meeting who each provided valuable information to be incorporated in the Digital Strategy feedback. They were:
- David Kukutai Jones, Chair of Te Rōpū Whakahau. David talked about the role of TRW. It was agreed that it was important to ensure Mātauranga Māori was highlighted in the Digital Strategy and that New Zealand made its unique digital content available worldwide.
- Dr Neil James (Chair NGI-NZ Society) provided background on the Next Generation Internet and outlined the potential of an Advanced Data Network.
- Laurence Millar, Director of the e-Government Unit spoke about the current and future role of the e-Government Unit as it relates to making government information more accessible online.
Among its other setting up tasks, LIAC is developing a communications strategy to facilitate improved communication within the Commission, and to its stakeholders and other interested parties.
Ainslie Dewe
Chair, LIAC
19 July 2004