NZ Rise to quiz Wellington Mayoral Candidates on digital vision at ITx

At next week’s ITx conference, TVNZ political reporter Andrea Vance will be facilitating a panel of Wellington’s Mayoral candidates and quizzing them on their digital vision for Wellington.

Nicola Young, Jo Coughlan, Nick Leggett and Justin Lester will all be present at the ITx session sponsored by New Zealand’s leading digital technology industry body, NZ Rise.

NZ Rise co-chair, Victoria MacLennan is looking forward to the session given the paucity of digital vision she’s seen in the campaign so far.

“Here in Wellington, conversations have been about core infrastructure expenditure such as roads, housing, and airports. These are all important issues, but there’s been no focus on growth, and to date nothing from Wellington candidates offering a vision to support digital and technology companies.

“Just last week it was announced that WCC is committing further investment to bringing a new call centre to town creating 300 new jobs. To be blunt, with the sort money being bandied around by Council, I could create 300 new jobs here in Wellington as a local, yet the rate relief and other benefits offered to offshore companies is not extended to those of us already here and growing locally,” says Ms MacLennan.

The recent Digital Economy Report highlighted the importance of the digital sector to New Zealand’s economy, noting that its contribution was $16.2 billion – or 8 per cent of overall of our GDP.

The Mayoral Q&A panel will be part of ITx, a collaboration of twelve tech-focused conferences and bodies taking place next at TSB’s Shed 6 next week. Tickets are still on sale.

ends

© Scoop Media