CityNet in Wellington, New Zealand
 
From: Steve.Withers@bbs.actrix.gen.nz
Subject: Re: Networks as Social Change Tool
 
Another good example is the Wellington City Council's "CityNet"
here in New Zealand's capital city. CityNet offers seven dialin
lines with 24 hour access to unlimited telnet, ftp, USEnet, IRC
and other Internet services worldwide and free of charge.
 
Public terminals are available in the Wellington City Main
Library for people who do not own computers. There is also
Senior Net, run by Wellington City Council and Telecom New
Zealand. Senior Net allows elderly people to converse in real-
time with other seniors in the US and around the world via
computer. The computers are Digital PC's and are located at a
convenient central location.
 
Back to CityNet. Local planning regulation, bylaws, and other
documents of interest are available for ratepayers to read on-
line or download. Ratepayers can also send e-mail to the mayor or
City Councilors or other city administrators.
 
This is a great concept. The ratepayers pay for the service in
the first place - so why not let the ratepayers use it? Sounds
like common sense to me, yet this is very rare among
municipalities.
 
Steve Withers, Wellington, New Zealand