Dunne PeterELECTRONIC INTERACTIONS REFORM BILLFirst ReadingHon PETER DUNNE (Minister of Internal Affairs): I move That the Electronic Interactions Reform Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Government Administration Committee to consider the bill. This bill is a cross-agency omnibus bill that contains proposals from the Department of Internal Affairs the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and the Department of Conservation. It amends and modernises 17 pieces of legislation to help enable digital interactions between individuals business and government. Providing digital services that make it easier for individuals and businesses to interact with government is a core part of delivering Better Public Services. I should report to the House that good progress is being made. We are on track to meet the Better Public Services Result 10 target of ensuring that 70 percent of New Zealanders' most common transactions with Government are completed in a digital environment by the end of 2017. Internationally New Zealand's efforts in the digital area have been noticed. New Zealand was a founding member of a global network called the Digital 5 (D5) a group of countries committed to leading the way in providing digital services to their citizens. The other members of the D5 are the United Kingdom Estonia South Korea and Israel. Earlier this year in recognition of the progress that New Zealand has been making in this area I was invited to give the annual lecture to the digital leaders network at the House of Commons in London. But we need to maintain and build on this momentum so work is under way on innovative ways to improve delivery of public services. This includes developing integrated services so a customer can easily access services from the different agencies that they need to deal with when they have a significant life event such as having a child. Another area being explored is using information the Government holds to proactively deliver services for which citizens are eligible. Although it is hard to accurately predict technology trends and how people will interact with government in the future we do know that New Zealanders want services that are easy to access convenient and tailored to their individual needs. To deliver public services in digitally innovative ways we need to ensure that our legislation governing service provision is fit for purpose in a modern digital context. This bill helps put those legislative conditions in place and complements portfolio-specific programmes to futureproof legislation. The bill amends legislation related to the services provided by the three participating agencies. These changes will help make a tangible difference by allowing New Zealanders to choose to interact with Government services in a fully digital way when previously they have had to use paper forms or front up in a Government office. Under changes related to the functions performed by the Department of Internal Affairs the bill will amend the Births Deaths Marriages and Relationships Registration Act 1995 the Marriage Act 1955 the Civil Union Act 2004 and the Electronic Identity Verification Act 2012. Currently individuals are required under some of this legislation to complete a statutory declaration in front of an authorised witness when applying for various services such as getting married entering into a civil union registering a name change or becoming a marriage celebrant for some types of organisations. These legislative requirements presently prevent New Zealanders accessing such services in a fully digital way. Therefore amendments to the Births Deaths Marriages and Relationships Registration Act the Marriage Act and the Civil Union Act will allow individuals to apply electronically without completing a statutory declaration. For example clause 21 of this bill amends section 23 of the Marriage Act to allow information on a notice of intended marriage to be verified electronically. Allowing alternative means to verify the information on applications for these services will enable a large number of transactions to be completed digitally. In 2015 for example there were over 32000 applications for these services. Additionally the amendments to the Electronic Identity Verification Act will allow consent-based use of the electronic identity photograph which is collected as part of the application process for a RealMe verified identity. This will be allowed when an organisation needs a verified photograph of an individual such as when issuing a photographic licence. Currently the electronic identity photograph cannot be used for such purposes even when the individual consents to its disclosure. Instead they commonly need to provide a separate physical photograph. So this change will support the development of convenient digital services between individuals and organisations without undermining the voluntary premise of the Government-operated RealMe service. The bill's changes also provide protections to help ensure that the electronic identity photograph is used appropriately. For example clause 38 amends section 62 of the Electronic Identity Verification Act to ensure that it is an offence to improperly access or use the photograph. The bill also amends 11 Acts relating to the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment. These Acts which include the Commerce Act 1986 the Copyright Act 1994 and the Fair Trading Act 1986 relate to commerce and consumer affairs. Currently provisions in these Acts require individuals or businesses to appear before Government agencies for a range of interactions. This requirement presently prevents the use of electronic communications such as an audio or a video link to conduct these interactions remotely. The amendments to these Acts such as clause 44 which amends section 98 of the Commerce Act 1986 will provide flexibility over current requirements to front up in person when both the individual and the agency agree. This provides an opportunity to make these interactions more convenient and run more efficiently. Other provisions in these Acts do not expressly allow for the sending of notices electronically and this restricts the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment—along with other agencies with commerce and consumer regulatory functions—from using email to communicate with business and individuals. Amendments to these Acts such as clause 53 which amends section 139 of the Copyright Act will expressly allow certain types of notices to be provided electronically. This will support more timely communications and in situations where it is difficult to find a person's physical or postal address will help ensure individuals and organisations receive the information they need when dealing with the Government. Finally under changes related to sports fishing and game hunting activities the bill will amend section 26Z of the Conservation Act 1987 and section 19A of the Wildlife Act 1953. The changes in clauses 82 and 88 of the bill will ensure that sports fishing and game hunting licence holders entitled to vote in Fish and Game Council elections can vote online if they wish and allow the image of the game bird habitat stamp to be incorporated within a game hunting licence rather than requiring a physical stamp to be stuck to each licence. This minor change will help the online sale of licences and meet anticipated future demand for digital licences potentially accessing portable electronic devices. This bill benefits New Zealand because it will enable New Zealanders to complete more interactions with the Government on a digital basis. It is an important contribution to the ongoing efforts across government to provide services that are designed to meet the needs of New Zealanders in the digital age and it is an example of how agencies are able to work together to achieve this. I am very pleased to commend this bill to the House.