"eCommerce represents a huge opportunity for New Zealand because it minimises the problems of geographical isolation," Labour commerce spokesperson Paul Swain said today.

Mr Swain was commenting on the launch of Labour's eCommerce policy - "Labour Online."

Consistent with Labour's determination to promote the use of the internet in New Zealand, the policy has been released to the public on Labour's web page - labour.org.nz. Mr Swain will host an online forum on the policy tomorrow between 2pm and 4pm.

The URL for the link to the forum will be available with the policy on the web page under Info Centre.

"Labour believes eCommerce is vital to the knowledge economy and is concerned that New Zealand may be left behind unless there is an active and urgent response from the Government.

"As of April this year, 40 percent of New Zealand's top 500 companies did not even have a website much less the infrastructure to extract full commercial advantage from the internet," Mr Swain said.

"No successful business today can operate without a telephone and a facsimile. No successful business of the future will be able to operate without being on-line."

Labour in government will initiate a range of measures to promote eCommerce in New Zealand. These include:

· Convening an eCommerce leaders summit to agree on an implementation strategy for the objectives set out in Labour Online.
· Actively promoting eCommerce to small and medium-sized business.
· Requiring all government agencies to notify their purchasing requirements on the ISO electronic system.
· Developing the 'single window' electronic delivery option across both central and local government.
· Promoting the harmonisation of rules relating to security, intellectual property rights and consumer protection and addressing taxation issues.

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