by Divina Paredes

New Zealand adopts International Open Data Charter

News
Mar 04, 2018
Big DataBusiness IntelligenceCEO

Ensuring government-held data is used to help achieve better outcomes for New Zealanders is a key reason why the government is officially adopting the international Open Data Charter, says Statistics Minister James Shaw.

By opening up public agencies’ data, Shaw says the government is encouraging openness as the default setting for government agencies to make non-personal, unclassified and non-confidential data freely available to anyone to use and share.

Confidential and private information will remain protected and safeguarded, he says.

  • Stats NZ CEO Liz MacPherson: ‘We are absolutely focused on unleashing the power of data to change lives’
  • DataKind founder Jake Porway: Use data for good, not just to ‘sell stuff’
  • Paul Stone, NZ Open Government Data Programme Leader: ‘Get the data out there, so when it is needed to solve a problem, it is available’

“As well as meeting increased user demand for open data to drive innovation, this will ensure we are accountable, transparent, and resilient in our use of data.”

An Open Data Action Plan, implemented by Stats NZ, will set the direction for the Charter’s implementation in New Zealand.

The action plan will provide transparency about the data the government holds, equip agencies with better tools and resources, and connect citizens and government.

Online tools and resources and training will lift people’s capability to innovate, to inform decision-making, and to provide evidence-based policy through data, says Shaw.

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