Hon Peter Dunne

Minister of Internal Affairs

12 July 2017 Media Statement

New Zealand again ‘a standout nation’ in digital evolution rankings

Today The Fletcher School at Tufts University in Boston released their latest Digital Evolution Index which, again, puts New Zealand as a standout nation. The report identifies New Zealand as among the digital elites characterised by high levels of digital development and a fast rate of digital evolution.

"I am delighted to see that New Zealand is, for the second time, at the top of the world when it comes to the outstanding progress we have achieved in providing government services to our citizens via digital platforms.

“The Digital Evolution Index reflects the hard work we’ve been doing over the past few years on government’s digital transformation, and in creating an enabling environment that fosters innovation and active collaboration between agencies and the private sector to provide better public and private services for New Zealanders.

“Our appetite for innovation has resulted in digital solutions that benefit people from all walks of life. It raises the bar for providing New Zealanders with services – both from government and the private sector – that are available digitally and on demand," says Minister for Internal Affairs Peter Dunne.

The report also reinforces New Zealand’s position as a digital leader. Along with other D5 nations the United Kingdom, Estonia and Israel, New Zealand has been named in the report’s “digital entrepôt” standout group.

This group is described as ‘among the best positioned to compete by establishing a self-reinforcing ecosystem, fostering smart societies of the future, attracting global investments and talent, creating a demonstration effect for the rest of the world as to what the future might look like, and exporting their digital innovations around the world’.

“It’s great to know that our efforts to deliver better public services through digital transformation are being acknowledged as among the best in the world by esteemed international bodies and researchers.

“We’ve made great progress in our digital journey by making it easier for New Zealanders to access services when and where they need it, but we must not rest on our laurels.

“We must continue to innovate and harness the power of digital solutions to build on our gains and deliver even better services to New Zealanders," Mr Dunne said.

The Fletcher School at Tufts University latest Digital Evolution Index report can be found here:https://sites.tufts.edu/digitalplanet/files/2017/05/Digital_Planet_2017_FINAL.pdf

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