More Government information for reuse

The release of the New Zealand Government Open Access and Licensing framework (NZGOAL) today is a significant step towards increasing the release of government held material for re-use, and more open and transparent government, says Minister of State Services Tony Ryall.

"Standardising the licensing of government copyright works for re-use using Creative Commons makes good business sense.

"We have already seen a number of organisations and individuals use government data for social, creative and economic gain - and I expect that we will see data being used in the future in new and innovative ways. Individuals, businesses and communities will be able to take government data, add value to it, and use it to create economic value.

"By using Creative Commons licensing we are saving taxpayer funds because Government agencies no longer need to spend money writing specific licences for copyright material that can be widely released for re-use. Creative Commons licensing is internationally recognised and uses icons and other tools that simplify matters for the general public," Tony Ryall said.

NZGOAL provides a series of open licensing and open access principles for copyright works and non-copyright material. It promotes the release of copyright works for re-use using the most open Creative Commons licence, and non-copyright material for re-use using ‘no known rights' statements. The framework also guides agencies through the questions they need to consider before releasing material for re-use. 

Led by the State Services Commission in collaboration with the Department of Internal Affairs, NZGOAL has been developed in consultation with many government agencies and has received wide feedback and support from external interested individuals and organisations.

For further information, including a link to NZGOAL, visit http://www.e.govt.nz/policy/nzgoal