Government’s Centralized Digital Investment Strategy to Save Billions and Enhance Public Services

A major shift in how the public sector undertakes digital investment and procurement could save up to $3.9 billion in the next five years, the Government announced today.

The Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO) will lead digital investment and procurement decision making on behalf of most public service agencies and Crown entities, Minister for Digitising Government and the Public Service Judith Collins says.

Taking a centralised approach to digital investment and procurement could save up to 30 percent on the projected $13 billion technology spend across the public sector in the next five years.

This potentially saves a huge amount of taxpayer money – and that’s money that can instead be spent on delivering better public services, for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

Siloed, bespoke technology solutions will be a thing of the past. Our target is a citizen-focused, digital-first public service like we see in other leading digital nations. Countries such as Estonia achieve significant, ongoing savings and productivity benefits thanks to their efficient digitised public services; our changes will set New Zealand up to emulate those successes.

The GCDO will develop and deliver a range of key digital tools on behalf of agencies, including the NZ Government App which will allow New Zealanders to receive secure notifications from government agencies. It will also allow people to store their digital identity documents, choose who they share them with and, in future, make payments for government services from their phones.

We want to see our public sector offering better, faster digital services for New Zealanders – but I would also note that services will continue to be available through traditional means, Ms Collins says.

These decisions are another step towards New Zealanders having safer, more secure digital services from the Government.