1 July 2004

Expats given assistance to develop our global connections

The Kiwi Expat Association has been awarded $200,000 from the Ministry of Economic Development's Sector Initiatives Fund, to assist them in building up our global connections, Jim Anderton, Minister of Economic Development, announced today.

"The Kiwi Expat Association of successful expatriate New Zealanders across a wide range of businesses, in scientific and professional areas of achievement, is working with the government to build up our global connections across a range of industry sectors. These contacts enable us to develop networks, share knowledge and extend our international market opportunities.

"Successful expatriate New Zealanders are able, through this scheme, to pass their skills and knowledge back to New Zealand while publicising and promoting our country as a creative, talented and technologically advanced nation. This is exactly what we need to do in order to continue to strengthen our economic performance and raise the living standards of all New Zealanders.

"The international knowledge and expertise of these expat' New Zealanders will also contribute to our sector development programme. The biotech and creative sectors in particular, benefit from being in touch with international developments and world best practice.

"KEA has already been working effectively with government agencies such as NZTE and has been able to assist a number of New Zealand firms to enter global markets. Through programmes like this, New Zealanders all over the world can contribute to supporting economic development at home," Jim Anderton said.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>