Sunday 8 July 2001
Government Boosts Representation On E-Commerce Action Team

Information Technology Minister Paul Swain has boosted government representation on the E-Commerce Action Team (ECAT) by appointing Waimakariri MP Clayton Cosgrove to the team.

ECAT is a partnership between the public sector, tertiary sector and business and includes representatives from across those sectors who have a strong interest in e-commerce. It was formed in March this year and has been meeting regularly.

ECAT has two principal roles; helping to advance the government’s e-commerce strategy, and encouraging and promoting the adoption of e-commerce within the private sector.

Paul Swain said that because of the importance to government of the issues being dealt with by ECAT he wanted another government representative apart from himself on the team.

"ECAT is a crucial part of our E-Commerce Strategy – we need that extra representation, and Clayton’s role will be to assist me to ensure ECAT’s objectives are supported and implemented," Paul Swain said.

"Clayton brings with him valuable experience in the communications and business sector – he will be extremely useful to the government on ECAT," he said.

Clayton Cosgrove said he was delighted to be the Member of Parliament assisting the Minister on the ECAT team.

"The development of E-Commerce is critical to the growth of New Zealand’s economy. E-Commerce is about business not technology. The technology is a means to an end, that is, a more efficient, profitable, competitive business environment will generate a wealthier economy and ultimately a more productive nation. This is the focus of ECAT and I am very proud to be supporting this objective," he said

Last week Paul Swain and Clayton Cosgrove attended the launch of the ECAT network at the University of Waikato in the first of a series of regional e-commerce events.

The network, an offshoot of the November 2000 E-Commerce Summit, is a virtual community with a shared interest in driving New Zealand’s uptake of e-commerce.

Other regional events will be held in the Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay and Taranaki over coming weeks.

Paul Swain said that one of Clayton Cosgrove's first tasks as a member of ECAT would be to help organise South Island regional ECAT events.

Ends

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