This is an opinion post from Craig Young, TUANZ CEO, published in The Sunday Star Times on 3 May 2026.

We all know that technology has the power to make Aotearoa New Zealand a better place. When we get it right, digital innovation boosts our local businesses, connects our communities, and makes our everyday lives easier and more productive. We’ve got some amazing foundations to be proud of—like the world-class communications networks connecting our homes and our mostly renewable energy grid. But right now, we are sitting at a crossroads.

For the past six years at TUANZ (Tech Users NZ), we’ve taken the pulse of the nation’s technology leaders. To pull together our latest report, Aotearoa’s Digital Priorities 2026, I personally sat down and interviewed dozens of the country’s top digital leaders, from major corporate CIOs to leading tech experts. The aim of this report is simple: to find out what is working, what is holding us back, and what we need to focus on to ensure no New Zealander misses out on the digital future.

What I heard from these leaders was an inspiring belief in what we can achieve, but it was mixed with a heavy dose of frustration. While our global peers are racing ahead, we are at risk of drifting. When I asked these experts about the government’s recent leadership in technology, the responses were pretty blunt—many called it a “talk fest” that looks good on paper but lacks real execution.

With an election year upon us, it is time to turn our digital ambitions into national action. Our tech leaders have laid out five very clear things they want the incoming Government to tackle to get us back into the top tier of digital nations:

Set firm rules to keep us safe online. Right now, our cyber security landscape is a bit too much “carrot” and not enough “stick”. With the rise of AI-driven scams and deepfakes, businesses and everyday Kiwis are exposed. Leaders are asking the government to step up as a shield, looking for mandatory, non-negotiable cyber security standards and a central system to vet international tech vendors so our data stays safe.

Teach digital skills and keep our local talent. We are losing too many of our bright young minds overseas. At the same time, AI is starting to automate the basic, entry-level office jobs that we traditionally used to train our junior staff. To fix this, the government needs to lead a massive push for digital literacy, embedding AI and tech skills into everything from our primary schools to adult learning programs. We have to build a workforce that is ready for tomorrow.

Modernise government tech and create a digital identity. Our leaders are highly frustrated by how fragmented the government’s own technology systems are. We need to aggressively consolidate these separate systems to make things run smoother. Most importantly, it is time to finally implement a secure, national digital identity framework. Having a safe, centralised digital ID will help prevent fraud and make doing business as well as accessing public services so much easier for everyone.

Create a long-term plan that survives elections. Technology doesn’t work on a three-year political cycle. If businesses are going to invest millions into new ideas, they need certainty. Our leaders are desperately calling for a cohesive, bipartisan national tech strategy, especially around artificial intelligence and data, that all sides of politics agree on and stick to.

Invest in the hard infrastructure so no one is left behind. Finally, we can’t have a digital revolution without the physical power to run it. The government needs to continue to invest in our core infrastructure, like ensuring our energy grids can actually power the massive global data centres being built here. This is about making sure that as technology advances, all our communities, both urban and rural, have the foundation they need to thrive.

The message from the tech frontlines is overwhelmingly positive about our potential, but clear about the need for action. We have the tools, the talent, and the infrastructure to be a world-leading digital economy. Now, we just need the national leadership to make it happen.