The Government Data Strategy and Roadmap

Earlier this month, the Government Chief Data Steward released the New Zealand Government Data Strategy and Roadmap – the guiding document for the government data system, outlining priorities for the next five years.

Government Data Strategy and Roadmap

The document is a refresh and update of the 2018 Data Strategy and has been endorsed by the Information Group – a committee of data system leaders from across government.

The Government Data Strategy and Roadmap sets a shared strategic direction to create an inclusive and integrated government data system. The system strategy has four focus areas which each have outcomes and initiatives associated with them – data, capability, infrastructure, and leadership. Each initiative in the Roadmap falls under one or more of these focus areas.

The Roadmap provides a timeline for when initiatives are to be completed across year one, year two, and year three onwards. All of the initiatives in the Government Data Strategy and Roadmap are underpinned by a responsibility to uphold Te Tiriti, and a commitment to maintaining and enhancing public trust and confidence.

The work prioritised by the Strategy and Roadmap will help to achieve the following objectives:

• people trust the data they share with government will be collected, managed, and used safely and responsibly
• Māori and iwi have the data system they need to fulfil their aspirations
• people and organisations have access to efficient, effective government services
• government decisions are informed by the right data at the right time 
• government is held to account through a robust and transparent data system.

More than thirty stakeholders from across the public and private sectors provided their input, including the Data Iwi Leaders Group.

The key to the success of the Data Strategy is cooperation across government. Working together we can create efficiencies which save money and time for both government agencies, and the public. We can identify gaps in the data system and work together to address them, and we can make sure the evolving aspirations of Aotearoa New Zealand are reflected in the work the government does.