1. Introduction

The E-government Unit (EGU) of the State Services Commission (SSC) co-ordinates and manages the projects required to achieve e-government. The role of the Unit is to co-ordinate the activities of separate agencies, monitor their progress and maintain the overall vision, as well as to take the lead on some projects.

E-government means using digital technology to enable citizens, taxpayers and visitors to access information and services from the New Zealand Government.

As part of the process of considering the use of such technology, the SSC has commissioned the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) in conjunction with Lazar Associates, to examine the potential for e-billing and e-payments within the government. For the purpose of the investigation, the state sector was to be considered rather than the wider notion of government, which in the context is usually taken to include both central and local government.

In particular, the brief was to report on five key issues associated with e-billing and e-payments:

• The scope of demand, both current and future, for this service within the state sector.

• The drivers of demand for transacting online, from the perspective of the government and its customers.

• The timeframe within which a system could be implemented.

• The products available in the market for completing transactions online.

• Any legal issues regarding development, implementation or operation of an e-billing and e-payment system.

This report includes consideration on all these questions.