6. Site Content

The NZ government agency web site Standards related to site content for web sites are:

6.1 Agency sites provide publicly available reports

Agencies provide on their web site(s) any publicly available reports that the agency is required to produce by statute. Refer to your communications department, legal teams or representative to determine what these reports are for your agency.

Guide to this standard

It is up to the agency to determine how long documents remain available on their web site(s). The Public Records Act has the General Disposal Authority (GDA3), which allows deletion/destruction of reproductions of documents where the original has been captured into the corporate record-keeping system. It is unlikely the web site(s) of an agency (or the underlying data store it utilises behind the web site(s)) is the sole repository and/or copy of a document. In such cases, it is expected that the agency have such documents under management with respect to archiving/record-keeping.

If this is not the case (the web site(s) and/or its respective data store being the sole copy of a document), then management of the document comes under the agency's record-keeping initiative, as required under the public records act (refer the Public Records Act 2005).

Once documents have been removed (from the web site(s)), the agency may consider retaining metadata details of the documents and enabling such data to be available on the web site(s). The documents will still appear in searches (on the web site(s)); however, the mechanism for accessing them may not be online. For example, the agency may provide contact details and/or an online application form for interested users requesting access to the documents. Refer to standard 5.7 - Provide metadata to pages and sites regarding incorporating metadata into your web site.

The National Library also keeps a record of reports that agency sites have made public. The National Library attempts to identify and capture these reports themselves. However, to assist the National Library with this process, agencies are encouraged to lodge a copy of such reports with the National Library.

Rationale for this standard

One of the principal foundations of the purpose for the New Zealand Web Standards is to provide economical and equitable access to information. This means that the NZ Government makes all public information available where feasible.

6.2 Agency sites provide consultation documents

Agency sites provide consultation documents on their web site(s). Refer to your communications department, legal teams or representative to determine what these documents are for your agency.

Guide to this standard

• Consultation links on the home page should be labelled “Currently Consulting on…” for consistency across government.
• The National Library also keeps a record of documents agency sites have made public.
• The National Library attempts to identify and capture these documents themselves. However, to assist the National Library with this process, agencies are encouraged to lodge a copy of such documents with the National Library.

Related Standard

6.1 - Agency sites provide publicly available reports

Related Recommendation

6.1.9 - Media releases and consultation documents available as an RSS feed

Rationale for this standard

One of the principal foundations of the purpose for the New Zealand Web Standards is to provide economical and equitable access to information. This means that the NZ Government makes all public information available where feasible.

6.3 Agency sites provide press notices from the agency

Agency sites provide press notices from the agency, and links to press notices from the minister on their web site(s), for instances that set the context for a specific release of information where relevant (E.g. Budget).

Guide to this standard

Currently this is at the discretion of the agency as to where on an agency web site this is placed. Further versions of the standard may suggest, recommend or mandate where press releases are to reside.

Rationale for this standard

One of the principal foundations of the purpose for the New Zealand Web Standards is to provide economical and equitable access to information. This means that the NZ Government makes all public information available where feasible.

6.4 Agency sites provide mandatory email addresses

The site provides an email address for each of the following:

• info@<domain>
• postmaster@<domain>
• webmaster@<domain>
• privacy@<domain>
• complaints by at least one of:
• • complaints@<domain>
  • abuse@<domain>
• general enquiries by at least one of:
• • enquiries@<domain>, or
  • enquiry@<domain>

It is at the discretion of the agency whether these email addresses are published on the site.

The agency must have a response mechanism for each address, such that an appropriate person ultimately reads an email item coming to any of these addresses, and a response is made to the sender of the email if so requested.

Guide to this standard

An auto-response should be sent back to any sender to acknowledge receipt of the email.

It is at the discretion of the agency as to how these email addresses are “funnelled” into the agency. For instance, they may simply all combine to one group address. More important is that any messages sent do get read by appropriate personnel within the agency, the agency personnel reading a message are aware of the category (via initial email address) for which it was sent. That is, personnel should be able to differentiate a Complaints email from a Webmaster email, and ensure that they are responded to appropriately. The agency must acknowledge receipt of the email, if this is requested by the sender. Obviously, this is to be qualified within reason, i.e. that the request from the sender is reasonable.

If agencies have concerns regarding spamming to these email addresses, then

• the agency does not have to publish these addresses, and
• the agency is advised to investigate employing anti-spamming procedures and processes on its email server(s)

Rationale for this standard

• Users require a means of contacting the agency It is a requirement of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) that Internet mail systems provide a generic postmaster@domainname email address and that a person is responsible for handling messages to that mailbox. Any domain supporting email must comply with this requirement. People typically report problems, including complaints about relayed ‘spam’ messages, using the postmaster address.
• Not all users however are familiar with the IETF postmaster standard.
• Default names over and above postmaster, which are also commonly used, enhance the usability and accessibility for users of email as a means of contacting back to the agency.
• These email addresses need to exist and receive messages but, generally for prevention of spamming, do not need to be published on their web sites.

6.5 Superseded material is marked as superseded

Guide to this standard

It is at the discretion of the agency as to where (on the appropriate page(s)) to place the mark, or indication that a section of material on the web site has been superseded. It should not be confusing to a user as to which piece of material on a page is superseded.

Effort should be made to keep the content of a web site up to date. Pages should show the date last reviewed/updated.

Sites should be continually reviewed for outdated material content, particularly of any type that relates to a fixed date such as a final date for submissions, job applications or an event to be held.

Related Recommendation

6.1.7 - Plan in place to ensure material on the web site is accurate and up-to-date.

Rationale for this standard

Outdated material can convey incorrect information and can cause frustration amongst users if they are unaware that the material has been superseded, especially if there are actions a user chooses to respond to as a result of the information they are obtaining. Users are also likely to develop mistrust of the site. This reflects poorly on the agency and the NZ Government.

6.6 Paid advertising not hosted on a site

Paid advertising is not carried, including advertorial that is unrelated to an agency's core business, unless the agency has significant involvement in a commercial event, such as a conference, where it may be appropriate to promote the event and link to a commercial web site.

Guide to this standard

There should also be no implied endorsement of products or services, unless reporting on an open, formal accreditation process. An agency may promote its own products or services, including those provided in part by other parties or business partners.

Rationale for this standard

The Public Service code of conduct requires public servants to “avoid situations which might compromise their integrity or otherwise lead to conflicts of interest” (see http://www.ssc.govt.nz/coc). NZ government agencies are not mandated to gather revenue via the hosting of advertising.