Hon Peter Dunne

Minister of Internal Affairs

21 July 2014 Media Statement

Online government services proving very popular with Kiwis

Digital Government services are continuing to be a hit with New Zealand families, Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne said today.

"Kiwis are doing more of their government transactions digitally; by March this year, an average of 42 per cent of measured government service transactions were completed digitally – up from 30.4 per cent when measurement started in June 2012”, says Mr Dunne.

Good progress is being made towards the Government's target that an average of 70 per cent of New Zealanders' most common transactions with government will be completed in a digital environment by 2017.

"We'll meet the target if digital services continue to get less complicated in the eyes of New Zealanders – for example, through integrating government services that make sense to people's lives.

"It should be so easy to deal with government digitally that most people choose digital over other transactions such as office counters, fax or post. At the same time, services should always be high quality and meet people's needs.

"People want to get their business with government sorted quickly, accurately, and easily so they can get on with doing the things they want to do”, says Mr Dunne.

The Department of Internal Affairs, through the Better Public Services Result 10 Programme, measures digital uptake of ten of the most common government services, including adult passport renewals, filing an individual tax return, applying for Ministry of Social Development financial assistance, paying for vehicle licenses, and paying a Police fine.

The Better Public Service Results July update can be found at: www.ssc.govt.nz/better-public-services

Background

• Delivering better public services within tight fiscal constraints is one of the

Government’s four priorities. driving the Better Public Services (BPS) programme

• Within the BPS result area of 'improving interactions with government' Result

10 focuses on interactions between government and individual New Zealanders.

• The Department of Internal Affairs leads Result 10. It measures, brokers and

promotes progress in delivery government digital services, supporting work done

of government agencies.

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