"We are talking of a situation where 50 per cent of the world's population living in industrial countries has 80 per cent of the internet connections."
The group had proposed a number of solutions, beginning with expanding the information technology infrastructure and giving people access to affordable devices.
One initiative, developed by a company in India, involved a simple hand-held, touch-screen Machine costing about $200, which used local loops to give people e-mail and internet access.
Other initiatives involved promoting community access, such as using the post office network to provide community internet centres.
Mr Desai said local content was crucial if the developing world was to find the medium relevant.
Community internet centres in Korean fishing villages were used intensively because fishermen could access market prices and satellite images showing the location of fish.
Most importantly, people must be capable of using the technology, he said.
Mr Desai focused on what he described as government to citizen ("G to C") , and citizen to citizen ("C to C") internet.
He said "C to C" internet provided a vehicle for mobilising and uniting societies, not just within countries but across national boundaries.
"G to C" internet had already allowed Governments to improve their quality of service to their citizens.
He said this relationship could help to allay concerns about globalisation, specifically by making processes of global governments more accountable and transparent in exactly the same way as at the national level.
But successful use of new technologies required a mindset change.
An acceptance of clear distinctions between education, work and retirement would have to change, as would the notion that the primary focus of responsibilities rested at a national level.
In reality, responsibilities would variously rest with the community, the country and the international community, Mr Desai said.
Lesley Max, executive director of the Pacific Foundation for Health, Education and Parent Support, outlined a series of challenges she believed had to be met if New Zealand was to bridge a "knowledge chasm", beginning with convincing the population that it was a worthy, essential goal.
She said that New Zealand needed to define an overarching national identity that went beyond wars and the sports field to foster a national unity.
The human services community needed to stop demonising business, while business had to stop trivialising the world of early childhood and recognise the links between children's early life experiences and their competence to participate in the knowledge economy.
The business community needed to consider investing in effective social and educational development as an economic imperative.
She said the poverty cycle must be broken and a commitment made to giving every child access to developmental health services.
Other Herald features
Our turn
The jobs challenge
Common core values
