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Good morning and thank you for being here at New Zealand’s first Cyber Security Summit.

We’ve come together to address a significant challenge facing New Zealand’s $231 billion economy.

I invited you as Chief Executives, Board Chairs and business leaders from across the public and private sector because you play an essential role in driving New Zealand’s economy.

Communications Minister Amy Adams has announced the creation of an Advisory Board to advise her on setting up the new national CERT.

“CERT NZ will be a central part of our cyber security architecture and a one-stop shop for anyone reporting or dealing with cybercrime. I want to see the CERT set up as soon as is practicably possible,” Ms Adams says. 

An investment of $22.2 million from Budget 2016 will enable a significant advancement in the country’s cyber security infrastructure, Communications Minister Amy Adams announced today.

The Government will invest $20 million of operating funding over the next four years on a new national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) to combat cyber-attacks and cybercrime, with an additional $2.2 million of capital for set up.

Communications Minister Amy Adams has welcomed today’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between InternetNZ and the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) on the management of the .nz domain name.

“The agreement will help ensure this important resource continues to be managed in a transparent way that supports the interests of the local internet community and end users of digital services,” says Ms Adams.

More than 200 top business people will join Communications Minister Amy Adams for New Zealand’s first Cyber Security Summit in Auckland onThursday (5 May).

Ms Adams signalled the summit at the launch of New Zealand’s Cyber Security Strategy in December, with a call to action for the public and private sector to come together to keep the economy cyber secure.

Communications Minister Amy Adams says Rolleston, in her electorate of Selwyn, is leading the pack in Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) uptake, at 52 per cent of households and businesses being connected.

“The latest data from local fibre company, Enable, shows the Rolleston community is one of UFB’s greatest supporters,” Ms Adams says.

“Although UFB is the standard in new subdivisions, the rate of penetration in the township’s older suburbs is just as high.”

Coromandel’s Kauaeranga Valley is today celebrating the arrival of 4G broadband and mobile coverage under the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI), says Communications Minister Amy Adams.

“Broadband and mobile coverage to Kauaeranga Valley will ensure residents can use fast broadband for their day-to-day business, while visitors who come here to enjoy nature, tramp for the day or camp overnight can stay connected and keep safe,” says Ms Adams.

Communications Minister Amy Adams today announced a series of high-level policy decisions on the future regulation of the telecommunications sector.

“Digital technologies are transforming the way New Zealanders live, work and do business. To help reach our 2025 broadband target and to keep our economy growing, we need the right laws in place to make sure high quality and affordable communication services are available for consumers and businesses,” says Ms Adams.

Apartment residents are set to reap the benefits of connecting more quickly to faster broadband under new changes proposed by Communications Minister Amy Adams.

Ms Adams has announced the second phase of Land Access Reforms, making it easier for those living in apartment complexes to connect to Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB). These follow on from changes announced last month to improve access to stand alone properties with shared access.

Communications Minister Amy Adams has today announced the rollout of Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) is now finished in Hamilton, the largest area completed so far.

“Hamilton is the sixteenth urban area to have their UFB built completed, and now more than 63,000 homes, schools, medical centres and businesses are able to connect,” says Ms Adams.

“The completed rollout will be welcomed by those living in Hamilton. Broadband is vital to New Zealanders, and connects us to one another and new markets across the world.”

Two independent reports have found New Zealand’s Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) and Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) programmes continue to deliver faster internet speeds, says Communications Minister Amy Adams.

“In 2008, average broadband speeds were around 2.7 Megabits per second. By the end of 2015, average speeds have more than tripled to 9.3 Mbps,” says Ms Adams.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Communications Minister Amy Adams have welcomed today’s announcement by Hawaiki confirming it will build a submarine cable linking New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

“Hawaiki’s new cable system will provide more international data choice and resilience for Kiwi consumers and business and help progress New Zealand’s digital economy.” Mr Joyce says.

Tauranga is the fifteenth urban area where the rollout of Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) is finished, announced Communications Minister Amy Adams today.

“At the end of January, almost a quarter of the 54,600 homes and businesses in Tauranga which could connect to UFB had done so – and that’s the third highest uptake in New Zealand,” Ms Adams says.

“The UFB rollout in Tauranga started in August 2011, and total investment in the build exceeds $75 million.”

Good morning

It’s a pleasure to be here this morning to present the opening address at the 2nd Media Technology Pacific conference representing both my Communications and Broadcasting portfolios.

It’s no accident that I hold both those roles. 

After serving as Communications and IT Minister for three years during our previous term it had become clear to me that the space between these areas was shrinking so quickly that to deal with one without the other risked missing the realities of what was occurring in the real world. 

One in five of the households, schools and businesses throughout New Zealand which can connect to the Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) initiative have chosen to do so, Communications Minister Amy Adams today announced.

Across New Zealand, around 184,000 households and businesses have connected as at end of February 2016, taking total UFB uptake to 20 per cent.

The Government’s focus on rolling out better broadband and mobile connectivity is reaping rewards with New Zealand’s position continuing to rise compared to the developed world, Communication Minister Amy Adams says.

The OECD’s latest Broadband Subscriptions report to end of June 2015 places New Zealand second in the world for machine to machine connectivity, fourth for mobile broadband (up from ninth), and fourteenth for fixed broadband (up from fifteenth place) moving us ahead of the US for the first time.

The 2016 Global Economic Crime Survey from PwC underlines that the issue of cyber security belongs in the boardroom, not the IT Department, says Communications Minister Amy Adams.

The PwC survey found that 40 per cent of New Zealand organisations have experienced cybercrime over the past two years, but only 45 per cent of all organisations have a cyber incident response plan. The report places New Zealand 19th out of 115 countries.

The Government has agreed to streamline consenting rules to help speed up the installation of the ever-popular Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) rollout, Communication Minister Amy Adams announced today.

The changes are part of the first phase of its Land Access Reforms to reduce delays and frustrations with getting properties connected to UFB. They follow on from the Land Access for Telecommunications Discussion Document released last year.

The $180 million investment into the rollout of Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) programme demonstrates the Government’s commitment to rebuilding a smart and sustainable Christchurch, Communications Minister Amy Adams says.

“As we mark the fifth anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake, the Christchurch rebuild is gaining pace and the thousands of kilometres of fibre optic cables being laid under the city is transforming the way we work, learn and stay connected,” Ms Adams says.

Communications Minister Amy Adams has announced that the $31 million Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) build in New Plymouth has been completed.

New Plymouth is the fourteenth urban area where UFB has been deployed, and the second in Taranaki after Hawera was completed in February 2015.

“Around 25,000 homes and businesses in New Plymouth can connect to UFB and by last Christmas around 14.4 per cent of those had connected,” Ms Adams says.

Communications Minister Amy Adams says the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) is making steady progress, with 87 per cent of new and upgraded towers complete.

“Compared to a year ago, there has been a 32 per cent increase in rural New Zealand households and businesses able to connect to faster and more reliable broadband,” says Ms Adams.

“As a result of the strong progress of RBI, almost 280,000 rural households and businesses can now access fixed wireless or improved fixed line broadband.”

The Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) programme is accelerating into 2016 with more New Zealanders taking up fibre broadband than ever before, according to latest figures released by Communications Minister Amy Adams.

“The UFB programme is transforming the way we live, work and learn. Each month, more people get connected, but the year-on-year growth is astounding. New Zealanders are chomping at the bit to get faster, more reliable broadband wherever they work, live and play,” Ms Adams says.

The start of the school year is a good opportunity for parents to remind their children of the harmful effects of cyberbullying and staying safe online, says Communications Minister Amy Adams.

“Today marks Safer Internet Day, which helps promote the safe, positive and responsible use of online technology and devices,” says Ms Adams.

“It also gives parents the chance to discuss cyberbullying and safe online behaviour, so our young people are armed with the skills to operate safely and securely across both social media and the internet.”

Fifteen new cell towers added to existing networks have expanded mobile coverage to more than 1700 square kilometres of rural areas previously without coverage.

The new towers are a result of the auction of the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum, won by Spark and Vodafone in 2014. Under the auction agreement Spark and Vodafone were required to build new towers in new rural areas in the first five years after the purchase.

Fifteen of these new towers are now complete and servicing remote communities, and 60 more are still to come.