By ADAM GIFFORD
The Electronic Commerce Action Team, established after the Government's November 2000 e-commerce summit, has disbanded after declaring it had achieved its main goals.
In its final report to the Government, it said while good progress had been made improving the understanding and use of e-commerce by New Zealanders, further efforts need to be made to increase the capability of businesses, and especially small businesses, to take advantage of e-commerce.
"Work also needs to continue on improving New Zealand's telecommunications infrastructure to allow people to make the most of the opportunities offered by new technology," its report said.
Co-chairman Sir Gil Simpson said that much of the team's work was done in rural and provincial areas through its 12 regional forums and through its promotion of sector-led initiatives.
"When business people become aware of e-commerce they will use it.
" We were able to bring together the early adopters and get them to share their experiences, so it was business people relating to business people," Simpson said.
The team was "sector driven, not IT driven.
"IT people are followers when it comes to technology - it is the business people who try to understand what the technology can do for them."
Representatives of the Bankers Association, Institute of Chartered Accountants, Law Society, Local Government NZ, Business NZ, the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Federated Farmers, Council of Trade Unions, Information Technology Association, Telecommunications Users Association and the Tourism Industry Association were included in the action group.
It was serviced by Government officials, but did not set out to create policy or advise the Government.
"We were there trying to create uptake. That influences policy," Simpson said.
Information Technology Minister Paul Swain said the group's work helped keep the pressure on to reform telecommunications policy.
"Because we ran these regional events in areas where the telecommunications infrastructure is not good, there was a lot of pressure to extend broadband and Probe from being just an education initiative to one which was regional so farmers and businesses could get into it too," Swain said.
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