evidoria

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Good practice

Marae Digital Connectivity Programme

New Zealand · Wellington · See the New Zealand profile

Since 2019, New Zealand's NZD 24 million Marae Digital Connectivity Programme has connected 676 of 877 eligible marae to free broadband, Wi-Fi hardware and training, letting whānau living away join hui and access education, health and economic services online.

676 of 877 eligible
Marae connected
674
Marae with hardware installed
~24 NZD million
Initial programme budget
Marae Digital Connectivity Programme

Details

Maturity
Scaling
Promoter
Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry of Māori Development)
Period
2019–2027 (extended)
Keywords
digital inclusion, indigenous connectivity, broadband infrastructure, community technology, culture and language

Context

Launched in 2019 and funded by New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, the Marae Digital Connectivity Programme is administered by Te Puni Kōkiri through National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Ltd, providing grant-funded broadband, Wi-Fi hardware and digital-capability training to eligible marae (Māori communal meeting grounds).

Results

The 400th marae was connected by June 2021; by the most recent government reporting, 676 of 877 eligible marae are connected to broadband with 674 having hardware installed. The programme has been extended to 30 June 2027.

Conclusions

The 2027 extension narrows scope going forward — marae whose installed equipment is limited to ancillary hardware (e.g. security cameras) are no longer eligible for further hardware funding, signalling a deliberate refocus on core broadband connectivity as the programme matures.

Implementation

Implementation detail (cost, timeline, staffing, conditions for success) is not yet available for this practice.

Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

Attachments

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