1. Where has the e-government initiative come from?

• Chief Executives' Group on Information Management & Technology (CEGIMT)

To date CEGIMT has been the chief vehicle for developing e-government strategy and co-ordinating activity - "carrier of the flame". CEGIMT was responsible for developing Electronic Government: Briefing to the Minister of State Services and Minister of Information Technology. This documentation identified seven critical issues:

• Leadership

• Strategy

• Ensuring a focus on citizens

• Avoiding the 'digital divide'

• Governance

• Integration

• Resourcing

• The need for communication

The annex of the Briefing also lists e-government projects that together represent the e-government programme.

• Vision Statement

E-Government - A Vision for New Zealanders was announced by the Minister of State Services, the Hon Trevor Mallard on 2 May 2000. This represented a very significant point on the road to today's budget announcement.

The electronic government vision supports two key goals of Government:

- Restoring trust in government and providing strong social services.

E-government will:

• increase collaboration between government organisations

• strengthen the relationship between people and the state through greater opportunities for     participation

• provide the state sector with an opportunity to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their services to the public while, at the same time, reducing the cost of delivery.

- Helping grow an inclusive, innovative economy for the benefit of all.

E-government will:

-    be an example of an innovative use of developing technologies

-    provide an important means of helping present and future New Zealanders to understand and use tools of vital importance to the economic and social prosperity of individual citizens and the nation as a whole