The Labour Party's election-year communications and IT policy promises to boost the workforce and invest in local software development.
The party says there is a skills shortage in the information and technology sector and about 2000 people have to be recruited from overseas every year to plug the gap.
Labour's communications and IT spokesperson Clare Curran says the party would promote digital careers and lift the number of industry interns.
Ms Curran says it would also give software developers a boost by investing more in the sector to encourage local innovation.
Labour's policy would also establish an independent regulator to investigate the impact of broadcasting monopolies, which are increasingly publishing content online.
The party says it would consider introducing a small copyright levy to develop an online platform for New Zealand television shows and music.
It says it would look at expanding the content storage capabilities of the online film and television archive, NZ On Screen, to handle New Zealand-made movies and music.
