The portal will

Give individuals and businesses access to information and services provided by the web sites of individual government organisations, including guidance about how to find information and services that are not available via the Internet.

Use everyday language to guide people to the information and/or services they are looking for.

Provide more than one way for people to browse through the portal to search for information and services held on individual government organisation web sites.

Meet best practice security standards.

Be expected to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year.

Be monitored for security, privacy, usability and usefulness.

Support the e-government mission that "By 2004 the Internet will be the dominant means of enabling ready access to government information, and processes".