The Government's e-strategy announced today is full of e-spin with over seventy exemptions for government departments, says National's Commerce spokesman Tony Ryall.

"The Prime Minister's announcement talks about making Government 'convenient and easy for people to deal with', '[picking] up the whole of the public sector' and 'directly reduce business compliance costs'.

"Yet, the Government's Electronic Transactions Bill (currently before a select committee) provides for at least 71 exemptions for government departments. Numerous departments won't have to accept electronic communications.

"The Government wants e-Government but is providing exemptions for: Conservation Act, Citizenship Act, Fisheries Act, Health Act, Hire Purchase Act, Civil Aviation Act, the Courts, Quota Appeal Authorities, Land Valuation Tribunals, Waitangi Tribunal, Student Allowances Appeal Authority....the list goes on.

"If the Government was serious then it would oblige all departments and agencies to accept electronic communications. Their current strategy is wanting and the Government appears insincere," Mr Ryall said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>