Digital Strategy for Aotearoa

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openmedia

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#290113 21-Oct-2021 14:21

Has anyone here engaged or responded on this new Digital Strategy

https://aotearoa.digital.govt.nz/

There are a number of feedback events coming up as well

https://www.digital.govt.nz/digital-government/strategy/towards-a-digital-strategy-for-aotearoa/have-your-say/

to quote

The discussion document is built around 3 key themes that could form the structure for the Digital Strategy:

- Mahi Tika — Trust
- Mahi Tahi — Inclusion
- Mahi Ake — Growth.

My eyes have really been opened about the Inclusion issues recently. The lack of Open Libraries in Auckland has removed Internet access for a number of families. These are individuals who have pre-paid phones with no data enabled, potentially one internet ready device in a house hold, and very very limited skills when interacting with online services.

Also as I mentioned on another thread there are a number of elderly people where existing broadband plans are expensive and they may not own a computer, but all their interactions with govt etc are now online.

Any other thoughts/perspective?

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

openmedia

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#2798809 21-Oct-2021 14:23

From an Open Source and Open Standards perspective there are already a couple of great responses online

I'm strongly supportive of the position that we need to embrace further these approaches and I'm shocked to see a number of recent platforms are still focused-on proprietary PaaS platforms.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

Zeon

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#2798841 21-Oct-2021 15:55

While I may have an interest in checking this out and providing feedback as someone deeply involved in the tech space, the use of it as another avenue for the government's politics of country rename never campaigned on nor put to referendum I will pass. Shame politics needs to be brought into this.

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chevrolux

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#2798846 21-Oct-2021 16:16

Zeon:
While I may have an interest in checking this out and providing feedback as someone deeply involved in the tech space, the use of it as another avenue for the government's politics of country rename never campaigned on nor put to referendum I will pass. Shame politics needs to be brought into this.

It's more of a shame small-mind white people continue to have a hernia simply because an indigenous name gets used.

openmedia

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#2798857 21-Oct-2021 16:49

Out so outside of the country branding concerns, any other comments.

Personally

All NZ Citizen data managed by Local and National Govt agencies should be held exclusively in county.
All application services should be hosted in country.
All routing for these services should be peered such that anyone physically present in NZ using a data service can access them without any data going offshore.
All hosting/managed/PaaS services should be ring fenced so that they cannot be subject to any off shore government or legal requests for information, at-least without going through the NZ legal process with full public disclosure.

I'd personally like to see these rules expanded to any NZ based financial institutions, especially the big banks, but lets start with Govt.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

irpegg

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#2798866 21-Oct-2021 17:20

More public sector garbage, a reason why no one ever wants to work there

amanzi

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#2798876 21-Oct-2021 18:09

@openmedia Thanks for posting this, I hadn't seen it yet. I would have hoped for a more positive and constructive response from the tech community here, but it seems like some can't see past their own prejudices.

With regard to your comments — I like the aim of hosting NZ Citizen data onshore, but I fear this principle may rule out best of breed systems. Also, with the correct controls in place (e.g. customer-managed encryption keys), data should remain safe even if it has to traverse foreign networks. A risk-based approach may be more pragmatic.

Cheers.

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SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2798908 21-Oct-2021 18:55

I note the conspicuous lack of accountability in this strategy. I'm not talking about privacy issues, which are already adequately covered by other legislation, but real accountability for decision making when it comes to selecting vendors to provide government systems. It seems we are constantly throwing millions of dollars at overseas companies and consultants and not getting value for money, with additional costs lumped on the taxpayer when rework is required. Any systems built should be built under tender, for a fixed cost, and if they fail, those responsible need to be held accountable.

amanzi: With regard to your comments — I like the aim of hosting NZ Citizen data onshore, but I fear this principle may rule out best of breed systems.

All too often "best of breed" in IT means jumping on the bandwagon, using some proprietary system. There must be a business case for every development. We shouldn't just trust that the right decisions will be made. A New Zealand-first mandate would help ensure appropriate technology choices are being made.