that is hard to imagine. Today they are avenues that connect people, businesses and ideas in ways never before possible. New Zealand is no exception. The rise of TradeMe has been just as dramatic. It is difficult to imagine any other area where a business can go from anonymity to global recognition in such a short period of time. It's also pretty evident that predicting the future is a dangerous business, particularly where technology is concerned. However, it is safe to assume that the influence of the internet is only going to grow. The constant innovation in and around the internet has changed the way we live. And it is a revolution still gathering steam -- or more appropriately, megahertz. Today, these innovations are also changing the economy and creating enormous opportunities for a small and geographically isolated country like New Zealand. But let's also be realistic about at where we are today. For many people right now, life is really tough. Most people would tell you that they've never been working harder than they are right now. But the hard truth is that unless we make really significant changes, as tough as it is now, it's going to be vastly tougher two decades on from here. In the words of the late Sir Paul Callaghan, we have chosen to be poor. We're not doing nearly enough to change that. And people aren't nearly aware just how big a problem that could be for us. We are thin on the