Returning New Zealander

Return to The People

Their Stories

Six users' stories were selected for inclusion in this report:

• Returning New Zealander
• First-time importers
• Person who used mental health services
• Parent of youth at risk
• Participant in local democracy
• Genealogist

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Returning New Zealander

Each story is represented pictorially, underscoring salient features and bringing into relief both the positive and negative experiences of using government services. The accompanying narrative, incorporating the user’s own words, highlights key points and possible implications.

Bill, a New Zealander in his thirties, recalls his experience four years ago when he and his family relocated to New Zealand from the UK. He is married to Jessica, who is British. They have two very young children, and they wanted to raise their children in New Zealand which they felt would offer a better, outdoors lifestyle and a higher standard of living. Bill works in telecommunications IT and Jessica is an interior designer.

To return to New Zealand, Bill and Jessica had to update and apply for the necessary documents and permits (such as passport renewal and work visa application) while in the UK. After arriving in New Zealand they had to process other documentation, such as residency and citizenship applications, and drivers' licenses. Once the family had settled in New Zealand, Jessica needed to return to Britain urgently for personal reasons, and she had to renew her work visa which was about to expire.

Bill and his family's greatest need was for quick and efficient processing of their applications and documentation so they could settle into their new lives in New Zealand.

Key points

• disparate government agencies:
  Bill needed to go to individual agencies separately to get different parts of the same application process completed himself; he suggested a "one stop shop" would have been helpful.
• multiple identity and documentation requirements:
  Bill had to produce many forms of evidence of identity and documentation for many purposes. He had to provide the same information many times to meet different agencies' requirements. He also had to produce evidence of identity in physical form and would have preferred to have been able to complete such transactions online.
• repetition of the same information:
  Bill had to repeat his story many times to different people. He would have preferred the continuity of dealing with one person over time.
• understanding the process:
  Bill did not understand the full scope of the process he was embarking on. At the outset, he did find helpful information online and felt that he did not need to use intermediaries such as immigration consultants. However, later he realised that there had been matters of which he was unaware, and it would have been helpful to have known about them in advance. He was provided with a comprehensive information pack on services for immigrants, drawn from many government agencies. However, much of the information was of no relevance to him, and the pack would have been more useful if it had been better targeted to his own needs.
• knowledge of application status:
  Bill had little knowledge of the status of his family's residency and citizenship applications between the dates of their lodgement and approval. Although he was able to phone someone to find this out, he wanted to be advised of their status without having to pursue the information himself.
• reasons behind the processes:
  Bill did not understand or appreciate the reasons why he had to comply with certain policies and requirements.
• limited online transactions:
  Bill was able to find the forms he needed online, print them, and post or deliver them. But he would have preferred to be able to complete and lodge them online.
• service capacity:
  When Jessica needed immediate answers to questions and urgent processing of her work visa renewal, she experienced difficulties. When Bill advised that the specific information they needed was not available online they went in person to the agency, but there were not enough trained staff available to deal efficiently with all the waiting clients.

Possible implications

• transparency of process:
  At the outset, Bill knew he was going to have to complete and file forms, and that the processes of getting approval for his applications would take time. But at no time after he lodged his applications did he sufficiently understand their status, or how long each stage of the process would take. His frustration was aggravated by not knowing the rationale for some of the procedures. This suggests that complex or lengthy processes could be made more transparent for users such as Bill. This may mean providing information about the full scope of the process at the outset, so that a user appreciates what will be expected and how long it might take. It may also mean that when such a service is designed, it enables a user to be informed – in a manner that suits them – of the status of their application at any given time.
• one-stop shop:
  Bill had to provide evidence of identity and various legal documents more than once, and had to go to separate agencies to get different parts of the same application process completed. He would have preferred to be able to deal with a “one-stop shop”. The user’s needs would be better met if they were required to provide documentation only once at a single location. This might require more back-office integration and information sharing amongst agencies.
• role of intermediaries:
  Bill observed that intermediaries can play an important role for users who might face cultural barriers. This suggests that, when designing a service, an agency should consider the possible roles of an intermediary. Some immigrants and refugees, for instance, might prefer to deal with intermediaries such as immigration consultants, community advocates or, in some cases, members of Parliament.