End-of-year reflections, 2025 As the year turns and Whanganui settles into the long light of summer, it feels like the right moment to pause, breathe, and look back on how far this kaupapa has travelled. Digital inclusion work rarely arrives in grand announcements or dramatic breakthroughs. It grows through small, steady acts of service — […]
Digital Inclusion Whanganui — Our Journey This Year Read More »
How an early-morning rugby dilemma became a workout in everyday critical thinking Last night, while planning my weekend, I faced a very ordinary problem: how to watch an early-morning Test match live on Sky. The game kicks off at 4 a.m. — about as early as I ever get up. That’s the point where the
The Thinking Gymnasium Read More »
From fear to self-regulation: habits that make AI safer and more useful. Alignment: This post and Digital Inclusion Whanganui’s AI First Principles align with the OECD AI Principles, UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI (2021), NIST AI RMF 1.0 (2023), ISO/IEC 42001, and New Zealand’s Algorithm Charter. Lately I’ve met more
AI is as good—or as bad—as we let it Read More »
Over the weekend I received a reminder email from the Whanganui Tech Network. It was about tomorrow night’s meet-up — the usual mix of conversations, updates, and encouragement that keeps our small but lively tech community ticking along. Buried in that reminder was a detail that stopped me in my tracks: Mark Aue, the CEO
Whanganui, Leadership, and the Fibre Future Read More »
First Principles in Work and Life So I can make the most of successfully completing things this year — especially being named a TUANZ Member Award finalist — over the last few weeks I’ve been going back to first principles in my mahi for Digital Inclusion Whanganui (DIW). The process has been rigorous, sometimes even
Awakening the Buddha Within – and Digital Inclusion Read More »
What’s Happening? Starting from December 2025, the 3G mobile network in Whanganui—and all of New Zealand—will begin shutting down, with all services gone by March 2026. This isn’t just a minor tech change; it’s a critical community issue. Who Will This Impact? People directly affected: Older residents and low-income households: Up to 2,500 residents still
Whanganui 3G Shutdown: Let’s Act Together, Now! Read More »
Recently, I have been reflecting deeply on my style of leadership, communication, and engagement in my community mahi around digital inclusion. Throughout my career, people have often commented that I was “too nice”. While I initially took this as gentle criticism, deep inside, I knew it was something different—something subtle, strategic, and deceptively strong. What
Embracing Radical Gentleness: A Personal Ethic for Living, Leading, and Being of Use Read More »
In the late 20th century, Dee Hock, the visionary founder of VISA, introduced a revolutionary concept he termed “chaordic”—a blend of chaos and order that reshaped the possibilities of organisational design, technology deployment, and leadership. Today, his once futuristic ideas have become profoundly relevant, guiding innovative initiatives like Digital Inclusion Whanganui. Who was Dee Hock?
Embracing Chaordic Leadership: Dee Hock’s Vision for Digital Inclusion Whanganui Read More »
Tuesday evening was a special and humbling experience. I had the opportunity to present a talk on the progress of Digital Inclusion Whanganui, sharing where we are at and outlining our first major milestone coming up : presenting a needs analysis report at Techweek 2025, scheduled for 19-20 May. This was, in many ways, my
Leaving a Digital Legacy: Reflections on Purpose and Inclusion Read More »
It seems incredible to me that I am now on the higher side of 75 years old. I can easily remember thinking in my twenties that being 45 years old was unimaginable. Looking ahead, every year that comes and goes with me participating will be a bonus. I want to do the best I can
A Sense of Purpose Read More »
