It’s that time again to come together for a day of discussion around the future of connectivity and technology in the most important sectors for our future prosperity & wellbeing in rural New Zealand.

It’s now 3 years since the completion of the initial Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI1), and 18 months into RBI2 and the Mobile Black Spots Programme.  With this latest initiative, the aim is to extend land based broadband to 99.8% of the population over the four years of the project. With the majority of the project still to run, one of the key elements to this event will be hearing the latest plans to deliver to that target. This event gives you the perfect opportunity to help shape the future of rural connectivity as the current programme rolls out.

This year, we also want to see what difference improved connectivity has made to those who live and work in rural NZ as well as the hoped economic development opportunities it makes available. Digital transformation and disruption is occurring across the economy including ways we can yet imagine. We will have a look at what’s coming in the near future and what impact that might have in rural NZ

This year we will continue the important conversations and hear from a range of speakers, including our rural leaders of the future, on how digital technology utilising connectivity is improving rural health outcomes, rural business opportunities and rural living in general.  We are pleased that the Hon Kris Faafoi, Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media, will give the opening keynote speech.

Here’s the initial programme for the day:

09:00 Ministerial Opening
09:30 The importance of Connectivity to the Rural Economy
10:00 Progress to date and what’s next?
10:30 Table Question 1

Break – MORNING TEA

10:55 What’s so important about the regions
11:25 Keynote
11:50 Panel – what is the feeling in Rural NZ about tech and connectivity
12:30 Table Question 2

Break – LUNCH

13:30 Maximising the Value of Rural Connectivity
14:00 Using tech and connectivity to improve services
14:30 Panel – can tech save agribusiness?
15:00 Table Question 3

Break – AFTERNOON TEA

15:35 What about the people – Introducing the digital divide
15:50 Panel – how does the divide affect different groups?
16:30 Closing keynote

We are again joined with our support partners: RHAANZ, Rural Women NZ, Dairy Women’s Network, Young Farmers NZ and Federated Farmers NZ

Our Premier Partner for 2019: