Executive Summary

E-awareness is the State Service Commission's (SSC) regular survey of e-government initiatives (e-initiatives) undertaken by government agencies. The 2005 survey is the third time agencies have been asked about their e-government programmes. Survey results demonstrate that agencies are continuing to make good progress implementing e-government.

E-awareness 2005 shows that websites are evolving from a channel for information to a channel that people use to complete an online transactional service. Many agencies now have services that can be completed online. With the increase in channels and services available online, agencies use e-government to integrate information across the channels they provide within the agency, and are beginning to integrate services online between agencies.

Examples of this progress include the Ministry of Education, which has developed education portals to assist education providers and users to find information and services more easily across all education sector providers. The use of e-government in the Companies Office and Inland Revenue Department is another good example where 'front-office' online services have been integrated between two agencies. The connecting of the two services has reduced the need for both agencies to be independently contacted.

Similarly, the New Zealand Customs Service working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Quarantine Service have used e-government to speed up the processing of import clearances. Importers now receive better assurances their imports will be cleared without unexpected delays, saving time and money. Online services will continue to show considerable advancement, with three-quarters of agencies indicating that by June 2006, they intend to introduce online services that will use online authentication.

Increasing number of e-initiatives

Information was provided on more than 400 e-initiatives and more than 100 formal data exchanges were identified. This represents a significant increase in the number of e-initiatives reported in previous surveys. More than 140 of the e-initiatives identified are to be completed by June 2006, as shown in the following diagram.

In addition to website upgrades and online services, e-initiatives include:

• common standards for data and technology across agencies
• new infrastructure and new technologies, including mobile computing.