I am only a fledgling new to flight."
Koro Paka, Whale Rider
Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou!
What a beautiful start to a new journey.
Thank you all very much for reading, liking and sharing my little blog. The response has been amazing, with over 1400 views, 130 likes and 40 shares. It is amazing to receive your kind support and I am truly thankful.
So the polls are open to vote for Internet New Zealand.
There are 10 amazing candidates besides myself, 5 being Maori (that I'm aware of at least) and 6 wahine, so that is amazing to stand alongside such a diverse pool of talent. Aotearoa is very fortunate to have depth and passion in the IT sector. Kia kaha tatau.
Here is the election page link:
https://internetnz.nz/council-elections
For those keen to join, it costs $21 per year and while I know that is a lot of money, I can assure you that Internet NZ do a lot of mahi on behalf of all New Zealanders.
If you are not a member and want to join, please click here. You will be able to vote online once you register.
So the 3 major kaupapa that Internet NZ are facing of relevance to me are:
* Reviewing the Telecommunications Act
Companies will charge like an angry boar and I'm sure many of us flinch at the high prices paid for broadband. Some pay $60 per month, others pay upwards of $120 per month. I think it's criminal that large companies make huge profits and many whanau cannot afford to connect, if they can connect at all. If you are interested in this review, we are meeting in Rotorua on Wednesday 27th July, 3pm at the Rotorua Lakes Council to korero and will prepare our own submission. You are all welcome to join or please send me a message and I will table your thoughts (potaua@gmail.com);
* Privacy when registering your web domain name (WHOIS)
When you register a domain name, should your details be public or private? If they are public, are people allowed to search your details and possibly hassle you? Yes e te whanau, cyber-bullying is real, even at the highest levels. The WHOIS Review is on now; and
* A new website to know the things that your ISP should tell you
Many of us sign up to get broadband with a company, pay our bill and expect the best service possible. But are those companies looking after you, or just their profits? InternetNZ are supporting a new website that can tell more information about 15 of the 70 internet service providers (ISP's) and what they should be doing for you.
At the same time, the 3 issues that I am interested are:
* Is the NZ Government spying on us?
We hear about what the US is doing to its citizens. Do you think the NZ Government is listening in to our mobile phone calls or reading private emails without our permission? I reckon they are. What do you think?
* When will our whanau in rural communities be connected?
A few years ago, Telecom (now Spark) and Vodafone spoke to a hui in Whakatane and promised that whanau in rural areas will be connected via their marae, but too my knowledge that hasn't been followed through. So then why not? When will whanau in the Urewera, the East Coast, up in the Far North, down the Whanganui River or out in the Rotorua Lakes district be finally connected? With the amount of putea these guys make, why isn't anyone giving them a hurry up?
And finally, is 2 Degrees still a Maori company?
Launched in 2009, 2 Degrees started with Maori spectrum but over the years, the Maori share in the company has reduced but no one knows why, how or what the future ahead looks like. I've been with 2 Degrees since the launch and have paid my hard earned bucks to top up ever since. I've meet the Maori Trustees of Te Huarahi Tika Trust and even spoke to ex-CEO Eric Hertz but never got any clear answers. With over $250m invested, am I right to believe that Maori still have a role in the company, or nah? Be a shame if we had nuk today but who can I ask? Do any of you know?
Anyway, enough of the heavy stuff.
I was honoured to be involved with a cool free webinar last week that discussed a framework for indigenous evaluation with the whanau from Community Research. With over 200 people in attendance, we heard from Nan Wehipeihana and Dr Chelsea Grootveld. It is an incredible hour korero and you can watch for free here.
Two more free webinars are coming up soon. Check out the website below for more information.
And finally for today, ka nui te aroha ki nga whanau a Nice.
Aue te mamae. Our hearts go out to all those whanau affected. Kia maia. Kia manawanui.
Kia tau te rangimarie hoki.
Thanks for your support.
na Potaua
potaua@gmail.com
References
Telco Review: http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/sectors-industries/technology-communications/communications/regulating-the-telecommunications-sector/review-of-the-telecommunications-act-2001
Also: https://internetnz.nz/news/telco-act-review-demands-careful-thought
WHOIS Review: https://dnc.org.nz/whoisupdate
ISP Website: https://internetnz.nz/ispreview
2 Degrees: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2degrees
Community Research Webinar: http://www.communityresearch.org.nz/webinar-complex-projects-short-stories-july-26/
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