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• NZ E-Commerce Website

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• Leadership
• Building Capability
• An Enabling Regulatory Environment

Leadership

Together with business, the Government will play a leadership role in communicating the importance of the changes that are taking place and their implications.

Technology is opening up new opportunities for the way governments operate. The Government will lead by example. A central agency - the e-Government Unit in the State Services Commission - has been established to drive the development of e-Government initiatives, including the delivery of services on-line.

The Government in turn is committed to reviewing its processes and organisation to take advantage of new technologies to improve access to government services and to deliver them cost-effectively. Electronic technologies offer the scope for re-engineering government.

The Government will, in partnership with the private sector, raise awareness and champion e-commerce through leadership in communication

• Publish, disseminate, and discuss this Strategy across the community. This will include in the short term:
• taking the key messages from the E-Commerce Summit to the regions through workshops in the next year. It will do this in partnership with business and local government;
• the continued development of an e-commerce Web site by the Ministry of Economic Development that will be linked to other sources of information; and
• working in partnership with Industry Associations and regional Economic Development Agencies to develop and publicise quality information relevant to different sectors and regions.
• Champion New Zealand e-commerce business success through national business awards programmes
• Support, through Industry New Zealand, Trade NZ, and Technology New Zealand, the development of key networks between businesses, professional service providers, and the financial community
• Champion New Zealand's e-commerce, technology, and innovation capability overseas through Trade NZ and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade networks.

The Government will be informed about New Zealand's e-commerce capability through quality information and research

• Identify a research and development programme, co-ordinated by the Ministry of Economic Development with the input of other departments and tertiary institutions, to:
• provide better statistics on the penetration of ICT and ICT skills in business and throughout the community;
• improve our understanding of the constraints on the adoption of e-commerce by businesses, to inform policy responses; and
• benchmark New Zealand against the rest of the world.

The Government will deliver better quality, cheaper, and faster services to its customers through the introduction of on-line services, and lead by example through e-governmentand e-procurement

• Improve citizens' and businesses' access to government including:
• developing New Zealand Government On-line (NZGO) as the primary Internet portal into government agencies and services, and Web-based access to forms, with 40 per cent of all public service forms available on-line by 30 June 2001. Information and on-line payments systems will be in place by 30 June 2001; and
• identifying activities where New Zealanders will be encouraged to interact with government agencies on-line, and providing incentives for them to do so.
• Ensure departments actively consider e-commerce solutions when developing policy, management, and operational initiatives
• Introduce electronic procurement by government agencies for purchasing goods and services. Advice on issues and options, including preferred all-of-government strategic approach, will be put to the Government by the end of the year
• Develop a government-wide approach for electronic billing systems to ensure a consistent approach. A Government strategy for use of e-billing will be in place by 30 June 2001
• Embrace best practice in the delivery of government services using electronic means, including:
• advancement by the New Zealand Customs Service of its on-line strategy to provide a better service to importers and exporters and to promote the use of a single electronic platform which will support a single interaction between border and government agencies;
• the continued improvement in the ability to register companies electronic ally with the New Zealand Companies Office;
• further improvements in the on-line Maori Land Information Base;
• continued development of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's ability to provide services such as electronic certification of goods and electronic management of dairy quota;
• continued development by the Inland Revenue Department of initiatives such as electronic filing, interactive voice response, and Internet-based applications;
• reduction of compliance costs for SMEs by rationalising information flows; and
• the development of a comprehensive e-strategy by the Department of Work and Income to provide for better delivery of services.
• Develop a secure means of exchanging and managing government information over public networks. A secure inter-agency e-mail pilot between The Treasury, the State Services Commission and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet will be in place by 30 November 2000. The system will be rapidly scaled up to accommodate other agencies once proven in operation. This will include putting in place the minimum necessary elements of a government public key infrastructure (PKI) which may be adopted for private sector purposes. The heads of the three central agencies will sign off a PKI policy by 28 February 2001. A final Government PKI policy will be published by 30 June 2001.

The Government will ensure the continuing supply of skilled resources

• Develop a co-ordinated international marketing approach to attract people with e-commerce and ICT skills to New Zealand
• Monitor and review on an on-going basis immigration policies to ensure the continued supply of people with e-commerce and ICT skills
• Develop an "Access from Anywhere" facility to provide a fast, convenient, on-line service for immigration, visa, and permit applications
• Promote the training of New Zealanders in e-commerce and ICT.

Building Capability

Lifelong learning is the key to wealth creation and improved economic and social performance.

Building business skills in e-commerce and ICT in SMEs is an immediate priority.

The private sector has a vital role to play alongside government and the tertiary sector in developing these skills.

The Government will facilitate building business e-commerce skills

• Work with business to build strategic, management, and technology skills under Industry NZ to improve business competitiveness through exploiting the advantage and opportunities of e-commerce in a global economy
• Ensure that its regional and industry development programmes foster e-commerce capability through:
• the industry specialist support programme; and
• recognition under the enterprise awards scheme.
• Ensure that BIZ programmes foster e-commerce capability in future tender rounds, beginning November 2000, by:
• the provision of the highest quality information and training material;
• enhancing the quality of advice by building the capability of service providers and trainers;
• building local networks of business e-commerce mentors; and
• supporting initiatives to enable SMEs to exploit collective opportunities to extract economies of scale with respect to technology and e-commerce applications.
• Foster e-commerce capability in exporters through Trade NZ's Business Programme, which will commence before the end of 2000, by:
• an education programme aimed at lifting exporter awareness of global e-commerce opportunities;
• delivery of an increasing range of Trade NZ services on-line through the utilisation of a new information management strategy;
• on-line matching of international business and investment opportunities; and
• facilitating exporters' marketing to overseas buyers through digital marketplaces.
• Foster e-commerce capability in rural businesses through the Rural Education Activities Programme (REAP)
• Further develop the Maori Business Facilitation Service under Te Puni Kokiri's Capacity Building Programme to build e-commerce capability
• Publish and maintain an e-Commerce Guide for SMEs by November 2000
• Facilitate innovative e-commerce and IT companies' access to finance in order to grow their business through Industry New Zealand's investment readiness scheme.

The Government will work to ensure that all New Zealanders have access to life-long learning opportunities to develop ICT skills for the 21st century

• Show leadership in the education sector, through, for example, extending the capabilities of the bi-lingual on-line learning centre for schools (Te Kete Ipurangi), and increasing the use of ICT as the communication and information tool of choice through initiatives such as the Tertiary Information Project and Single Data Return
• Ensure that all teachers are equipped with the skills to use ICT in the learning situation, through the provision of on-the-job training and qualifications
• Promote the integration of ICTs across the curriculum as integral to teaching and learning practices
• Work with the private sector and communities to extend the ICT capability of schools, libraries, and other sites of learning for individual and business use
• Encourage tertiary education institutions to meet the technology and managerial needs of New Zealanders in a rapidly changing work, technology, and communications environment
• Work with the telecommunications industry to ensure that every school has sufficient Internet access to enable its use as an everyday learning learning tool
• Ensure that career information advice and guidance recognises the opportunities for careers in IT and new economy industries, and the value of ICT skills in the wider employment market
• Give priority in programmes to those disadvantaged in the labour market to gain relevant ICT skills, either to participate in further training or to gain sustainable employment
• Promote opportunities for distance learning through the Internet, recognising its potential for community or work-place learning programmes and for life-long learning.

The Government will build broader ICT literacy and capability in the community

• Exploit the potential embodied in the infrastructure and skills in schools and tertiary institutions throughout the country to build community capability, by investigating the benefits of computers in homes for teaching and learning under two pilot projects with Decile 1 schools and a pilot project to provide computers to Tai Rawhiti schools
• Work with rural and other communities to identify their e-commerce and ICT skill needs, and working with the private sector to offer training programmes for those disadvantaged in the labour market
• Explore innovative ways to facilitate private-sector provision of better access to electronic communication services for rural communities.

An Enabling Regulatory Environment

The regulatory environment in part determines the incentives that support the early adoption of electronic commerce by business. It is more than the legal framework. It embraces trade policy, tax policy, industry specific regulation, and consumer policy.

To date, our open trade and investment environment, quality urban telecommunications, and the banking sector have all been significant influences on the uptake of new technologies and e-commerce. The Ministerial Inquiry into Telecommunications focussed on promoting cost-effective, timely, and innovative telecommunication services on a continuing fair and equitable basis to all existing and future users.

New Zealanders must be able to feel confident about using e-commerce. Businesses and consumers need to operate in an environment that is backed by adequate domestic and international legislation and self regulation, to protect them from vandalism, fraud, theft, and misleading or deceptive trade practices. Concerns about security are a significant factor influencing New Zealanders' willingness to embrace e-commerce.

New Zealand's Privacy Act is technology neutral and principle-based, and applies to the handling of all personal information collected or held by agencies, whether in the public or private sector. But our privacy laws recognise that there are legitimate reasons for collecting information and are flexible in accommodating different needs. The privacy laws constitute a marketing advantage to New Zealand, as they provide best practice in protecting consumer and business information.

The Government is committed to:

• Ensuring an open and competitive economic environment that supports e-commerce
• Ensuring an equivalent legal framework for electronic transactions and paper-based transactions
• Developing consumer confidence by addressing security, privacy, and consumer protection concerns
• Facilitating the development and protection of infrastructure
• Encouraging continued innovation through our intellectual property laws
• Monitoring and addressing emerging issues around the governance of the Internet
• Reviewing as appropriate the rules that will govern the ownership and management of information
• Supporting the development of enabling international norms and principles that maximise the cost-effective opportunities for New Zealand businesses to use the Internet to exploit e-commerce.

The Government will ensure flexible and timely legislative responses

• Pass the Electronic Transactions Bill by June 2001 to support an equivalent legal environment for both electronic transactions and paper-based transactions
• Pass the Crimes Amendment Bill No 6 by June 2001 to deal with cyber crime
• Amend the Privacy Act 1993 to ensure that New Zealand's privacy laws are regarded as adequate in terms of the EU Directive on Data Protection
• Progress the development of the Evidence Code, which will define how electronic communications can be used in evidence
• Review other legislation including Intellectual Property legislation to ensure that there are no significant impediments to the application of e-commerce. The Ministry of Economic Development will report to Ministers by 30 June 2001 on the implications for New Zealand of acceding to WIPO Copyright Internet Treaties.

The Government will facilitate the development and protection of infrastructure

• Pursue policy responses to the Ministerial Inquiry into Telecommunications that will ensure cost-effective, timely, and innovative telecommunications services on an on-going fair and equitable basis
• Actively facilitate the development of a national infrastructure protection strategy in partnership with the private sector to enhance the security of essential networks from attack by hackers, criminals, and cyber-terrorists. Initial advice on a National Infrastructure Protection Strategy will be provided to Ministers by 11 December 2000.

The Government will encourage appropriate self-regulation by industry

• Work with business to promote appropriate self-regulation through, for example, the development of industry codes of practice in areas such as consumer protection and Internet services.

The Government will ensure an appropriate tax environment that takes into account the growth of e-commerce

• Review the GST treatment on imported services, including those that are provided electronically.

The Government will promote New Zealand's interests internationally

• Ensure that New Zealand's interests are protected in international forums by working with like-minded countries to achieve:
• international alignment of law;
• minimisation of transaction costs for business;
• maintenance of an open trading environment for the free flow of information and services; and
• the interoperability of infrastructures, secure electronic authentication, and payments.