Comments on: Does Government “Get” the Web? http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/ Writings on technology and society from Wellington, New Zealand Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:57:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ben Holloway http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-2342 Ben Holloway Wed, 15 Apr 2009 03:03:55 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/#comment-2342 IRD is super slow though. Tax season in Australia finishes on the 30th June. I could log into the ATO website, download my information and submit my tax return on July 1st. I would have my refund no more than 14 days later into my bank account. NZ tax season ends 31st March and apparently I have to wait until May befor I can complete my tax return online????? IRD is super slow though. Tax season in Australia finishes on the 30th June. I could log into the ATO website, download my information and submit my tax return on July 1st. I would have my refund no more than 14 days later into my bank account.

NZ tax season ends 31st March and apparently I have to wait until May befor I can complete my tax return online?????

]]> By: colin http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-483 colin Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:41:31 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/#comment-483 Peter What I meant by tax returns not being online was that, while many countries are out there busy putting their personal tax return form online, New Zealand got rid of its IR5 altogether. Obviously that's better, but it means that we sometimes score lower than we otherwise would on international e-government surveys because we can't tick a box saying "most people have an online tax return" or some such. Regarding open government - I go with US Supreme Court judge Louis Brandeis who wrote <em>sunlight is the best disinfectant</em>. To me, it's no coincidence that New Zealand has both a very open government system and a remarkably corruption-free one. Regards Colin Peter

What I meant by tax returns not being online was that, while many countries are out there busy putting their personal tax return form online, New Zealand got rid of its IR5 altogether. Obviously that’s better, but it means that we sometimes score lower than we otherwise would on international e-government surveys because we can’t tick a box saying “most people have an online tax return” or some such.

Regarding open government – I go with US Supreme Court judge Louis Brandeis who wrote sunlight is the best disinfectant. To me, it’s no coincidence that New Zealand has both a very open government system and a remarkably corruption-free one.

Regards

Colin

]]> By: Peter http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-482 Peter Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:36:42 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/#comment-482 I am a business contractor and as such go into a number of businesses and that often means I use government sites not only in NZ but also overseas particularly UK and Australia. The NZ sites are in my opinion are far better to use. This probably has less to do with the technology and more to do with the legislation overseas. Examples - the UK companies office closes down their site for searching overnight - useless when you are sitting in NZ. ASIC in Australia shows you that a company exists but very little else. NZ allows you to see, print, download almost everything. The IRD allows more online filing than overseas. What do you mean that the ordinary tax returns are not online. Some are, I have not sent them an Income Tax Return (IR3) or GST return in hardcopy for two years now. And there is no requirmenet to file an IR5 these days but you can request a Personal Tax Summary online. Working with the NZ government online is getting easier but still has some way to go. But for me they are better to deal with than others. Colin I agree, open government is strong government. I am a business contractor and as such go into a number of businesses and that often means I use government sites not only in NZ but also overseas particularly UK and Australia.

The NZ sites are in my opinion are far better to use. This probably has less to do with the technology and more to do with the legislation overseas.

Examples – the UK companies office closes down their site for searching overnight – useless when you are sitting in NZ.
ASIC in Australia shows you that a company exists but very little else.
NZ allows you to see, print, download almost everything.

The IRD allows more online filing than overseas. What do you mean that the ordinary tax returns are not online. Some are, I have not sent them an Income Tax Return (IR3) or GST return in hardcopy for two years now. And there is no requirmenet to file an IR5 these days but you can request a Personal Tax Summary online.

Working with the NZ government online is getting easier but still has some way to go. But for me they are better to deal with than others.

Colin I agree, open government is strong government.

]]> By: colin http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-481 colin Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:12:09 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/#comment-481 I hit this one as well and sent them a grumpy email. They replied with a bank account number and I paid direct. ACC seems to have gone backward on this one - two years ago payment online was given as an option on their invoice. It's not good enough. We should be complaining about it. I hit this one as well and sent them a grumpy email. They replied with a bank account number and I paid direct. ACC seems to have gone backward on this one – two years ago payment online was given as an option on their invoice.

It’s not good enough. We should be complaining about it.

]]> By: Chris W http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-480 Chris W Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:49:36 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/03/27/does-government-get-the-web/#comment-480 You still can't pay your ACC levies online. Either send a cheque or traipse into a NZ Post Shop. How much does processing all those cheques cost? You still can’t pay your ACC levies online. Either send a cheque or traipse into a NZ Post Shop. How much does processing all those cheques cost?

]]>