SSC MEDIA STATEMENT

23 August 2016

Help develop New Zealand’s plan for open government

New Zealanders are being asked to contribute their ideas for ways government can improve its openness as part of the international Open Government Partnership (OGP) through an interactive online forum running until this Wednesday, or by coming along to a workshop in Wellington this Friday.

“New Zealand’s second National Action Plan is being developed and we are looking for New Zealanders’ ideas on steps we can take to make government more open, accountable and responsive,” says State Services Commission Deputy Commissioner Al Morrison.

“New Zealand’s government is internationally recognised as one of the most trustworthy and open in the world, but we can do better,” he said.

People need to get in quickly to contribute their ideas for actions to be considered for New Zealand’s second National Action Plan.

An interactive online discussion forum is running until Wednesday 24 August.

Ideas have also been contributed in-person at workshops in Auckland and Christchurch. A final all-day workshop is happening in Wellington on Friday 26 August.

“We were really pleased with the workshops so far and the discussions and ideas that were put forward, as well as the discussions and ideas that are coming through online,” says Al Morrison.

The discussions so far have included: finding ways for government to engage more effectively with community members; how government might work with communities to capture priority topics for community engagement; and mapping openness and transparency activities across central and local government.

The all day workshop will be held in Wellington on the 26th August.

The online forum and information on how to take part in developing the National Action Plan, is on the project website http://engage2.co.nz/ogpnz/

Details of the all day workshop are below:

Wellington: 26 August

9:00 – 4:00

Mac’s Function Centre

Background on Open Government Forum (OGP)

The OGP is an international forum where the governments of 70 countries have committed to becoming more open, accountable and responsive to citizens. New Zealand joined the OGP in 2014 and is now developing its second National Action Plan to identify how to make improvements in these areas over the next two years.

The principles that guide OGP National Action Plans are:

• Transparency: publication of government-held information, the right of citizens to information, and open access

• Accountability: the government being publically responsible for its actions and accountable for the outcomes

• Participation: government engaging citizens in its policies and programmes and effective service delivery

• Technology and innovation: advancing transparency

ENDS

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