Maurice Williamson: logistics industry must use social media

10 May 2013

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson urges logistics industry to embrace social media

Minister of Customs Maurice Williamson has used his ‘big gay rainbow’ speech to urge the logistics industry to embrace social media.

Addressing delegates at the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation (CBAFF) conference, in Tauranga, Mr Williamson said that his speech has now been seen by 936 million television viewers worldwide and that was expected to rise to one billion.

“I really ask you to think about one particular piece of technology – the social network is massive” he said.

“From your business perspective, start thinking now about using Facebook and Twitter and communicate about what your business is doing. Don’t rule it out, because this is getting a head of steam on it that even the most visionary people could not have foreseen.”

Mr Williamson also assured delegates that the upcoming introduction of the replacement Joint Border Management System (JBMS) would be a steady process, with the existing system kept in place as back-up until the new system is fully established.

The JBMS will be a set of integrated information technology products, owned and hosted by Customs and jointly operated with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). It will give Customs, MPI and industry better information and risk assessment tools to protect New Zealand’s society, trade and biosecurity.

The conference is being held at the Trinity Wharf Hotel. For further details see www.cbaffconference.org.nz

ENDS

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