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The ITx 2016 Programme may change without notice
Mitimiti on the Grid was a collaboration between telecommunications and IT organisations to bring fibre and mobile services to a remote marae community that was destined to be a telecommunications "blackspot".
Mitimiti was a populous trading hub in the late 1800s, but since that time has struggled with many decades of urban drift. It is isolated and the terrain is challenging.
What would it take to curb the population decline and achieve economic growth?
Mitimiti on the Grid was driven by the belief that when a community is "fibred up" economic growth can be measured at the two year point. The sponsors and volunteers claimed that "if you can do this in Mitimiti, you can do it anywhere!"
The presentation is about how the infrastructure is being leveraged, outcomes to date, and what is expected.
Managing director, Paua Interface Ltd
When IT Consultant Robyn Kamira (Te Rarawa) chose to merge a computer science degree with Maori studies in the early 90s, she was met with resistance by the university, but had unexpectedly stepped onto a pathway that would lead to much more than “just” IT.
Initially, focusing on the impact of IT on indigenous peoples, she was invited to numerous international conferences to present issues relating to 'intellectual and cultural property' and international legislative challenges of protecting data.
Through her company, Paua Interface Ltd, Robyn worked on Government projects including NZ Health Information Service & Accident Compensation Corporation's 'Privacy, Authentication and Security framework', and in the days before RealMe, she assisted State Services Commission with online security and authenticity including biometrics. She also worked with Statistics NZ’s ethnicity data protocols and standards, and the Ministry of Health’s National Immunisation Register and National Health Index.
Robyn has been a member of Government appointed Boards and Advisory Groups including the National Health IT Board, Health Information Standards Organisation, Digital Strategy Advisory Group, and others. International memberships include the Secretariat Community Informatics Research Network and the Secretariat Global Community Networks Partnership.
Today, Robyn believes that while the initial decision to merge IT and Maori was a road “not” yet travelled, the potential for the country and for Maori is critically important as we build our contributions to the global economy and attend to our collective futures.
Chair, various Trusts and Boards, and Maori ICT Development Fund
Antony Royal is a professional electrical engineer, with 20+ years consulting in the IT and telecommunications Industry.
Antony is focused on building Māori capacity through technology, to achieve economic, cultural and social outcomes for all New Zealanders.
He is currently Chair of the Expert Advisory Group for the Maori ICT Development Fund, Te Mana o Kupe Trust, Ngāti Tamaterā Treaty Settlement Trust, and is on the Council for Weltec and Whitireia New Zealand.