Government and tech industry summit to look at key issues

Auckland – February 4, 2016

A major tech industry and government summit in Wellington on February 23 will look at key issues to improve service and delivery to consumers.

About 40 percent of all the money spent in New Zealand on ICT technology is spent by the government amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.

NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says the government has recognised that in order to deliver better public services they need to use technology to transform the way they interact with people, organisations and across government.

“NZTech is bringing together the leaders and chief information officers across government to collaborate and share innovative ways they have partnered with the tech sector to help transform and deliver better to and for the public.

“In a recognition of the importance of balancing the cost of technology deployment with the longer term financial benefits that transformation of government can bring, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English will open the summit.

“Leaders from the New Zealand tech sector and the government will discuss and share success strategies for successful deployments of technology, of innovative uses of technology and of cross department collaboration to improve people’s experiences.”

Key note presentations will include the chief executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, David Smol; Deputy Commissioner of Transformation at Inland Revenue, Greg James; and the Australian chief technology officer, John Sheridan.

Muller says underlying the government’s drive to deliver better public services are targets to reduce welfare dependency and crime, to support vulnerable children, boost employment and make it easier to interact with government. Across all of these, technology is recognised as an enabler that will help the government to improve and transform.

“To accelerate the transformation shared learning and collaboration is essential. The savings across government and the society could be enormous. Since 2012, better use of technology has delivered a 16 percent reduction in the reported effort in dealing with government departments.”

NZTech is the voice of the New Zealand technology industry whose role is to help drive economic growth led by technology. It represents over 270 tech companies throughout New Zealand including the ICT multinationals, hi-tech manufacturers, local NZ ICT firms and start-ups. Technology is the fastest growing industry in New Zealand and the third biggest export earner.

For further information contact New Zealand Technology Industry Association chief executive Graeme Muller on 021 02520767 or Make Lemonade media specialist Kip Brook on 0275 030188

Photo: NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller