Kiwi can-do attitude winning through

By TOM CLARKE

The new chairman of the High Tech Council, Trevor Eagle, says New Zealanders do have what it takes to build a knowledge-based economy.

He says he is "tremendously encouraged" by the amount of research and development that is going on.

Mr Eagle, who replaces inaugural chairman John Ball, has been heavily involved in technology and business growth through his membership of the Foundation for Science, Research and Technology and other bodies. He is also chairman and managing director of Eagle Technology Group Ltd.

"The foundation meets once a month and we review probably 20 projects a month, and I've been doing that for five or six years," he says.

"Originally, IT projects hardly ever appeared - it was mostly agriculture, horticulture, viticulture and aquaculture projects. Now it has swung back the other way and we're getting an enormous number of very exciting IT projects coming through."

Mr Eagle says the recent upturn in available funding for new projects is having a major impact.

Talk about venture capital two years ago was "whistling into the wind," he says, but now there is a lot of money around for the right ideas. There are plenty of these ideas about, he says.

In the past many ideas foundered. People would mortgage their homes to the hilt to raise capital and still run out of money. They were left with nowhere to go, Mr Eagle says.

Now, start-up help is available through the government-funded Technology For Business Growth, of which Mr Eagle is a committee member.

Once a project is up and running, venture capital funding can take the idea to the next stage and commercialise it, he says.

But Mr Eagle is concerned at the impact which the Government's Employment Relations Bill will have on the development of a knowledge-based economy.

He says the bill's current provisions on contractors and outsourcing will have a huge impact and threatens everyone in the IT industry.

There is a danger, he says, that the legislation will drive IT specialists overseas, where there is huge demand for their skills. New Zealand needs to be encouraging those who have already left, to return home.

Mr Eagle and other industry people have sent a joint submission to the Government on their concerns.

He began his career as a manager with Woolworths in the early 60s, then spent seven years with IBM. In 1969 he began his own business, the forerunner of Eagle Technology Group Ltd.

He also serves on the Unitec Honours Board, is chairman of Aquagas International, and a member of the Massey University Advisory Board and the Council for Sustainable Management. The High Tech Council was formed last year.

Mr Eagle has numerous other business interests.