Kia ora tātou and happy new year from the GCDO

Welcome to the February edition of the Government Chief Digital Office (GCDO) newsletter.

The year has started well with good feedback from New Zealanders on their experience with public service digital channels in the PSC Kiwis Count survey for the December quarter. Digital service users had higher levels of satisfaction (85%) this quarter than those who used non-digital (80%) or mixed channel services (77%). Good to be trending up!

2025 has also started with a bang at the GCDO. We have released the Public Service AI Framework and the Responsible AI Guidance for the Public Service: Gen AI to enable agencies to use AI safely and responsibly. There is plenty more in the pipeline so watch this space. 

We have also released a new Standard for Government-held Personal Information jointly with the Public Service Commission to ensure agencies have sound practice in their work with third parties.

This newsletter has an "all of government" flavour with updates from our Back Office and Portfolio Service Teams - ie what we're doing and what we're saving.

As always, we're keen to hear what else you'd like to hear about. Please let us know and forward the newsletter to others. 

Ngā mihi

The Government Chief Digital Office

Artificial Intelligence updates

AI Framework and Guidance published on Digital.govt.nz

We are working with our friends at MBIE to deliver the National AI Strategy - it is close! In the meantime, we are pushing forward with assistance to increase the uptake of AI in the public sector.

Since the last newsletter have delivered two cornerstone documents. The first cab off the rank was the Public Service AI Framework, our overarching document for all AI work in the sector. The framework sets out a structured approach to safely deploy AI across the New Zealand Public Service and applies to all forms of AI used in New Zealand public services. 

A week later we released the Responsible AI Guidance for a Public Service: GenAI. A huge thank you to all our agency colleagues who collaborated and provided expertise.

Both of these products have been published on digital.govt.nz, where additional resources will be published iteratively to support agencies with safe uptake of emerging technologies.

New Standard for government-held personal information

Standard out for consultation

The GCDO has been working with the Public Service Commission to develop a new Standard and associated agreement template to strengthen current guidance and actions for providing non-government third parties with access to government-held personal information.

The draft standard will complement existing Privacy legislation and guidance by providing agencies with a framework to better govern and protect information they are responsible for. Compliance with the standard will be mandatory for Public Service agencies and strongly recommended for other public sector agencies.

The GCDO is currently undertaking consultation on this new standard under section 57(1) of the Public Service Act 2020 with agencies and third-party providers now that the Inquiry report has been released.

The final Standard will be published in April and come into force on 1 July 2025. Compliance is mandatory for core Public Service agencies. 

New ‘Standard for providing third parties with access to government-held personal information’ | NZ Digital government

Service Modernisation Roadmap v2 engagement to start soon

The Service Modernisation Roadmap with its 51 initiatives from 8 agencies and 4 system leaders is going strong.

However, it is now far enough through year one that minds are turning to year two. We will soon be coming out to agencies to discuss the next phase of the Service Modernisation Roadmap (FY 25/26). This work will further the vision set by the Strategy for a Digital Public Service — to modernise and transform the public service and put New Zealand’s people and business at the centre of government services.

We will be reaching out to all agencies in March to discuss next steps as well as targeted engagement on current and in-flight GCDO-led Roadmap initiatives to ensure it will continue to enhance customer service experience. In the meantime, if you have any questions or work to discuss, please contact us at GCDO@dia.govt.nz

GCDO API Guidelines

API Guidelines are being reviewed

APIs can increase the focus on customer needs by enabling agencies to share information and deliver multi-agency or 'joined-up' services more efficiently. 

The API Guidelines are up for review as part of the Service Modernisation Roadmap. We are keen that they are fit for purpose and meet agencies' needs and at the same time identify opportunities to better support API adoption.

We have published the review of the guidelines using an innovative format to make reviewing them easier.  We are using DocRef, a rules as code product which converts the guidelines into structured, machine-readable data, allowing for extremely precise annotation, linking and cross-referencing.

The guidelines are open for feedback until the end of March 2025

https://docref.digital.govt.nz/

If you have any questions, contact: Jim Clendon, Architecture Modelling Consultant, Jim.Clendon@dia.govt.nz

GCDO All of Government Portfolio Services

The GCDO All of Government Portfolio is available to all public sector agencies and organisations, and provides access to reliable, secure, resilient, and fit-for-purpose services. The Portfolio provides substantial savings and can help agencies to avoid costs in a fiscally constrained environment and focus on delivering their services to New Zealanders. The more agencies consume services through the Portfolio, the more the system as a whole will save.

Agency uptake continues to grow year on year and the numbers are substantial. In 2023/24, 345 agencies consumed one or more services and total spend through the Portfolio was approximately $1.1 billion.

Increased engagement with the Portfolio has continued into FY24/25 sand we will bring you numbers of savings and spend after year end. In the meantime, sign up!

Back-office Digital Transformation Service

The GCDO’s Back-office Digital Transformation Service (BoDTS) has hit the ground running in the new year.

This initiative is expected to save the Government $160 million over ten years. Financial Management Information Systems (FMIS) is the first service offering being rolled out in mid-2025, closely followed by HRIS and Payroll.

Recruitment is well underway, and the team is engaging with agencies across the public sector, and shortlisted Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) suppliers, to ensure an All of Government approach to back-office system replacements, with a new ERP Category being established on Marketplace.

A more detailed update on the BoDTS and Back-office Digital Transformation Project will be communicated with agencies shortly.

Digital Investment Office update 

2024 Digital Investment Intentions and Current State coming in March.

Following the completion of the 2024 Digital Investment Intentions and Current State data collection, we will be aiming to send each agency their tailored reports during March.

These reports enable agencies to understand how they compare against the overall system and like sized agencies. Importantly, the report also allows agencies to see who else is planning to invest to similar capabilities which will enable conversation to occur about opportunities to join up.

GCDO will be taking a more forward-looking view of these opportunities and may be reaching out to facilitate specific areas of interest.

The digital investment principles can be found here Aligning digital, data and ICT investment to digital public service outcomes | NZ Digital government.  

Any questions can be directed to Digital.Investment.Office@dia.govt.nz 

International Surveys on Digital Government 

The GCDO will be leading New Zealand’s response to two international surveys that will look at measuring the progress and maturity of Digital Government. New Zealand will be ranked (DGI) or grouped (GTMI) according to the assessment outcomes, and data used for international comparison.

The surveys are:

OECD Digital Government Index (DGI). The DGI will be launched on 28 February 2025 and remain open until 31 March 2025. https://goingdigital.oecd.org/en/indicator/58

World Bank GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI). The GTMI will be launched on 1 March 2025 and remain open until 15 May 2025. https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/govtech/gtmi

Where questions relate to your areas of work, e.g. New Zealand’s Tax Management System (TMIS), Customs Management Information System (CMIS) and e-Procurement System, your contacts in DIA will reach out to seek your assistance to answer them accurately. 

Response to these surveys require cross agency input. Please give these survey questions sufficient priority as the quality of response will directly impact on the outcome of these international organisations’ assessments of New Zealand’s digital government as a whole.

If you have any questions, contact: Cecily.Lin@dia.govt.nz 

Events and Communities

Upcoming Events

AI Community of Practice

The support for our new AI Community of Practice has been very positive and we thank you for your time and input to this group. As a reminder here are the dates for the next few months to note in your diary:

• Friday 21 March 11 a.m.
• Friday 11 April 11 a.m.
• Friday 16 May 11 a.m.
• Friday 13 June 11 a.m.

Invites have been sent to those on the mailing list, but if you would like to attend, please contact GCDO@dia.govt.nz for a meeting invite.

Digital Accessibility Community of Practice (DACoOP)

After 111 sessions over the past 5 and a half years, the NZ Government Web Standards Clinics are being replaced. To help develop the growing community of digital accessibility practitioners across the public and private sectors, a new Digital Accessibility Community of Practice (DACoOP) will meet once a month for attendees to share and learn about the interesting, innovative, and exciting work that's happening in the digital accessibility space.

Learn more about the DACoP and upcoming presentations.

International trends in digital government 

We will look at international jurisdictions over the coming newsletters to keep you up to date with trends and insights relating to digital government.  

Updates from UK Government Digital Service

The UK Government Digital Service (GDS) has launched with a new blueprint for modern digital government which sets out a case for change, including a long-term vision for digital public services, a 6-point plan for public sector digital reform and the role of the refreshed Government Digital Service in driving this change.

The GDS will also launch GOV.UK Wallet and App to simplify access to services and documents like digital driver’s licences, alongside reforms to public sector technology to save £45 billion and drive efficiency and growth.

Digital and Media