NetHui 2013 (New Zealand’s Internet Governance Forum) — In-Depth Report: Minutes Digest & 3-Line Summary

The 3-Line Summary

NetHui moved to the capital for the first time on 8–10 July 2013, filling Wellington Town Hall under the theme 'The Power of an Open Internet', with the ticket price held at NZ$40.
The international keynote came from US journalist Quinn Norton, best known for covering the hacker collective Anonymous; school principal Russell Burt's national keynote, 'ReTooling School', explored rebuilding education around the Internet.
A Parliamentary Internet Forum panel capitalised on the Wellington venue, closing the gap between politicians and the Internet community — a lesson in what hosting a national IGF in the capital can unlock.

Welcome — this is the Japan IGF Support Organization. This in-depth report on NetHui 2013 (New Zealand's Internet Governance Forum) draws on official outputs, session records and on-site reporting. In a hurry? The three lines above and the diagrams carry the gist.

Conference at a Glance (from official records)

Item	Detail
Official name	NetHui 2013 (New Zealand's Internet Governance Forum)
Dates	8–10 July 2013
Venue	Wellington Town Hall, Wellington, New Zealand
Theme	The Power of an Open Internet
Host	InternetNZ

(See the source list at the end of this article.)

Discussion Digest — from the Session Records

Key exchanges extracted from session records and transcripts.

1. First Time in the Capital — The Open Internet on Parliament's Doorstep

Sessions: Overall programme: two days of streamed discussion plus a wrap-up panel day

"This is your opportunity to engage in the myriad of issues surrounding the impact of the Internet on today's society."
— Jordan Carter (Acting Chief Executive, InternetNZ) [2][1]

In its third year NetHui left Auckland for Wellington Town Hall, with 300+ of the up-to-500 places booked a month out [2][1]
The capital setting enabled a Parliamentary Internet Forum panel, plus film screenings and meet-ups around town [2][1]
Under 'The Power of an Open Internet', discussion ran across eleven streams including research, youth, access, culture, economy, education, law, governance, health, and safety [2][1]

2. The Reporter Who Covered Anonymous — Quinn Norton and Digital Activism

Sessions: International keynote by US technology journalist Quinn Norton

InternetNZ billed Norton as one of the world's foremost digital activists, a technology journalist and blogger famed for reporting on Anonymous [1][4]
Arriving in 2013 as the Snowden disclosures began, a keynote from a chronicler of surveillance, anonymity and digital dissent gave the open-Internet theme real topical edge [1][4]

3. 'ReTooling School' — Education and Digital Equity

Sessions: National keynote 'ReTooling School' on Day Three by Principal Russell Burt

Russell Burt, principal of Pt England School in Auckland, showed how Internet-based technologies can re-engineer school to make learning more engaging and empowering [1][4]
The keynote centred on equity and access — ensuring priority learners from disadvantaged communities are not left out of digital gains [1][4]
Communications Minister Amy Adams also spoke, linking the debate to government broadband policy [1][4]

Three-Minute Short Talk — Your Questions Answered

Q. Why did the Wellington move matter?

A. It put the national IGF on Parliament's doorstep. A Parliamentary Internet Forum panel joined the programme, giving the community a direct line to politicians — and NetHui's city-rotating model was born.

Q. Who were the keynotes?

A. Quinn Norton, the US journalist famed for covering Anonymous, took the international slot; local school principal Russell Burt delivered 'ReTooling School' — global hacker culture paired with the digitising classroom.

Q. Why should I care?

A. A NZ$40, 500-person national IGF that pulls in members of parliament is a working template for connecting Internet communities to politics anywhere.

What Is New Zealand IGF? (for first-time readers)

New Zealand IGF is a National or Regional IGF Initiative (NRI), aligning local internet governance discussion with global IGF principles.

Why It Matters to You

What was discussed here becomes the baseline for national digital policy, platform rules and AI regulation worldwide within a few years. The principles confirmed at the 2013 meeting are the foundation of the "next rules" for the phones, social platforms and AI services you use every day.