45 Pipitea St
PO Box 805
30 September 2024
Wellington 6140
Phone +64 4 495 7200
Fax +64 4 495 7222
OIA2425-0264
Website dia.govt.nz
Ben Preston
[FYI request #28289 email]
Tēnā koe Ben
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) which was
transferred on 17 September 2024 to Te Tari Taiwhenua | Department of Internal Affairs (the
Department). You asked for the following information:
1. All documents and communication from 2017 to today related to the process of digitizing
government in general, and the Government Online Engagement Service (GOES)
system in particular.
2. A list of all those interviewed as part of the 2017 GOES review and any
information/documentation resulting from or summarising those interviews.
Part one of your request asks for all documents and communication from 2017 to today related
to the process of digitising government in general. Your request, as currently framed, is difficult
to meet without substantial collation and research. We estimate there are thousands of
documents and communications (including emails) within the scope, as the term ‘digitising
government’ captures much of the work carried out by the Department’s Digital Public Service
Branch. Collating this material and determining what may be able to be released to you would
have a significant and unreasonable impact on the Department’s ability to carry out its other
operations.
Unless part one of your request is amended, it may be refused under section 18(f) of the Act,
which applies where the information cannot be made available without substantial collation or
research.
To assist your consideration of how to amend part one of your request, we have provided some
information about the Government Online Engagement Service (GOES) initiative. In 2017 the
Department conducted a review of the GOES Pilot. You can find information about the review
on the Department’s website at:
• www.digital.govt.nz/blog/how-digital-can-support-participation-in-democracy; and
• a copy of the report
How digital can support participation in government at:
www.digital.govt.nz/assets/Standards-guidance/Engagement/How-digital-can-
support-participation-in-government.pdf.
We invite you to rescope part one your request so that it can be responded to without a
significant and unreasonable impact on the Department. One way to do so would be for the
scope to be limited to key documents from 2017 to 2018 which provide an overview of the
GOES initiative.
Please advise by 3 October 2024 if you are prepared to amend or clarify your request and if
you are agreeable to the proposal above.
The Department will process part two of your request as is currently written.
Nāku noa, nā
Anita Balakrishnan
Director, Ministerial and Monitoring
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