Curran Clare: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Curran Clare: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:656;Page:5323] 
11.  
CLARE CURRAN (Labour—Dunedin South) 
 to the  
Minister for Communications and Information Technology 
: Does he stand by his statement: “The government wants to ensure New Zealand has a skilled and productive workforce.”; if so does he believe this should apply to the information and technology industry? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Communications and Information Technology) 
: 
 Yes and yes. 
Clare Curran 
: In light of Telecom’s decision to contract out the work done by its telecommunication engineers does the Minister agree that the industry is now running the risk of losing many skilled engineers? Should not the Government be doing something about it to ensure New Zealand has the capability for the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: It is not my role as Minister to comment on specific private contracting relationships between private companies. Telecom of course is a private company having being sold by a previous Government. 
Louise Upston 
: What is the Government doing to ensure that New Zealand has a skilled and productive workforce with good information and communications technology skills suited to the 21st century? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: The National Government knows digital literacy across our population—along with smart connected communities—is critical to this country’s future. To this end the Government has given a $3 million boost to the Computers in Homes programme which will empower over 1600 families throughout the country who do not currently use the Internet to bridge the digital divide. We have also given over $1 million in support of the expansion of the Computer Clubhouse programme and we have made $34 million available in this year’s Budget for upgrading school computer networks to prepare schools for the ultra-fast broadband initiative. 
Clare Curran 
: Will the Minister deny that as a result of Telecom’s contracting out of engineering those engineers could have their income cut by 50 to 66 percent; and will he take action to prevent New Zealand telecommunications engineers leaving for higher incomes in Australia? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: Once again I am not as Minister able to comment on specific private contracting relationships. I understand that Chorus recently signed contracts with three service provider companies to provide the workforce that Chorus relies on. In an industry where the norm is for 2 to 3-year contracts Chorus has committed to 10-year contracts worth a total of around $3 billion to provide long-term certainty and confidence within the telecommunications industry. 
Clare Curran 
: Why did the Minister tell the Commerce Committee that an industry training organisation needs to be driven by the information and communications technology industry itself when it is now becoming abundantly clear that Telecom’s decision will see a severe skills shortage in the industry? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I am not sure that I agree with the member’s contention but I certainly believe that the first port of call for industry training is with the industry that seeks the training. It is most important that the industry takes the initiative.