Department of Internal Affairs’ SmartStart programme wins top international award

Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne is delighted to announce that a key initiative by the Department of Internal Affairs, SmartStart, has won a prestigious international award for excellence in innovation and communication.

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) has announced SmartStart as a Merit winner in the 2017 Gold Quill Awards programme. The programme recognises business communication excellence globally, and is acknowledged as one of the most prestigious awards programmes in the industry.

SmartStart is the only public sector agency and one of only three New Zealand entries to be awarded a Gold Quill at this year's Awards.

“SmartStart is the first successful integrated digital service across multiple agencies including the Ministry of Social Development, Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health, Inland Revenue, Plunket and NZ Midwives.

“Feedback from IABC Gold Quill evaluators that the Department’s entry was ‘a well executed campaign of high professional standard which demonstrated creative and innovative work’ is particularly significant given the public sector operating environment,” says Mr Dunne.

SmartStart has proved popular with new and expectant parents with already more than 65,000 visits to the website, a very encouraging sign that the message has got through and that people appreciate having services designed around them for when they need them.

“As well as the DIA team there have been many people from across the sector who have contributed to creating this message that tells a powerful story about the benefits of SmartStart and they are to be congratulated for a great win.

“SmartStart is a great example of New Zealand as a digital government leader. As a founding member of the Digital 5 group of nations, other countries come to learn from our successes and this initiative will help support and champion our growing digital economies,” said Mr Dunne.”