Executive Summary

The State Services Commission (SSC) is charged by the government with developing an integrated strategy to employ the advantages of modern electronic communication techniques to improve the service offered by government to citizens. This "E-Government" Strategy has a number of facets, but the needs and capacities of ordinary New Zealanders are a critical part of the design work.

The SSC has commissioned NZIER to undertake an initial test of these by looking at the Levin community. This was seen as likely to illustrate interactions with government that could be regarded as broadly representative of the experience elsewhere in New Zealand.

The project scope has not allowed statistical sampling, as the objective has been to establish prevailing community perceptions with respect to public sector agencies and the services made available through them. The task was to look for the recurring themes and determine whether opinion is sufficiently consistent across the people and groups spoken with to be relied upon. We have targeted individuals and groups drawn from a range of community interests, social, governmental, youth and business oriented organisations. Reference has also been made to the findings of a similar review of regional opinion undertaken by Te Puni Kokiri in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

Levin is a small community of about 19,600 centred on state highway one and the main trunk railway line [ The town was founded in 1889 due to the construction of the Wellington/Palmerston North railway.] , in a rural setting. It has the headquarters of the Horowhenua District Council and the offices of several central government agencies [ These are, Department of Work and Income, Department of Child, Youth and Family, and a part week representation from the ACC. In addition there is a Police presence.] .

We found a general attitude toward the government that was rather distant. There are possible explanations for this especially the way services have been curtailed and centralised over the last few years. While such attitudes have to be taken into account when thinking about all government services there are more immediate conclusions that can be drawn out as a possible basis for action. We divided these into the shorter and the longer term and included suggestions on their possible progress.

The shorter term ideas included: statutes on line; entitlements readily available; rules and manuals; brochures, pamphlets; application forms; follow up; data bases; responsive information service; directed outreach; and appropriate pricing.

While the longer term matters were: publicity of the sources; sifting of outward information; feedback; privacy issues; multi-channel communication; and match the appropriate delivery channel.

We noted that a key challenge for implementation was to achieve a degree of 'joined up government' at least as seen by citizens.