Level 2
2–12 Al en Street
Wel ington 6011, New Zealand
PO Box 3806, Wellington 6140
30 January 2020
Nic Lane
[FYI request #11903 email]
Tēnā koe Nic
Official information request Creative New Zealand's Risk Assessment and Management Plan (ref.
267)
I refer to your official information request dated 16 December 2019 for Creative New Zealand’s Risk
Assessment and Management Plan, with regards to meeting the current Web Accessibility &
Usability Standards. Your request has been addressed under the provisions of the Official
Information Act 1982, which is based on the concept that information held by government agencies
should be made available on request unless there is good reason for withholding it.
Creative New Zealand is guided by the
New Zealand Government Web Standards Web Usability
Standard 1.3. The
Creative New Zealand website conforms to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
and, as a result, there is no need to have a Risk Assessment and Management Plan. This is only
required in the case of non-conformance with this Standard.
While the
Creative New Zealand Portal was fully compliant when it was implemented in 2015, it
does not meet al of the current Web Accessibility and Usability Standards. This is a result of changes
to the Portal functionality in this period. Creative New Zealand does not have a formal Risk
Assessment and Management Plan for the Portal, however we are aware of the issues and have put
in place processes to address them. For example, we have a technical support team available to help
people using our Portal and can provide alternative ways to apply for our funding (eg, via a hard-
copy application form when needed). The Creative New Zealand
Portal User Guide provides detailed
information on how to receive assistance when using the Portal.
The Portal is now five years old and due to increasing demand for our digital services, and changing
needs over this time, we are currently in the process of scoping a new solution for the Portal. We
have explored making further enhancements to the existing Portal to improve its accessibility and
usability, but due to technical limitations, the results would not align with the amount of effort
required for what would be a short-term solution.
One of the requirements of any new solution is that it meets all current Web Accessibility and
Usability Standards. Rachel Driscoll (Manager, Business Systems) would welcome a conversation
with you on any improvements we can make. Please feel free to contact Rachel at:
[email address]
For your information, risk management is an integral part of Creative New Zealand good business
practice. We aim to manage risks which arise across all of Creative New Zealand’s activities, in order
to maximise opportunities and minimise the impact of adverse events. The Arts Council’s Audit &
Risk Committee (ARC) reviews our Risk Register and Risk Management Framework every six months.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact Pip O’Flaherty on 04 498 0737
or via email to
: [email address]
Yours sincerely
David Pannett
Senior Manager, Strategy & Engagement
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