Computerworld

Government prepares to embrace digital interactions

The Government Administration Committee has called for submissions on the Electronic Interactions Reform Bill
  • Stuart Corner (Computerworld New Zealand)
  • 18 October, 2016 11:40

The Government Administration Committee has called for submissions on the Electronic Interactions Reform Bill that would amend a range of legislation to enable digital interactions between individuals, businesses, and government agencies. Meanwhile Inland Revenue has begun accepting digital signatures, with MYOB claiming to be the first accounting software provider to support the facility.

MYOB said the use of digital signatures by Inland Revenue would redefine how businesses interact with the organisation.

“The Inland Revenue guidelines … allow documents, such as tax returns, to be filed with an electronic signature rather than in writing, meaning there will be no need to print, sign and send forms to Inland Revenue,” MYOB said.

“The new service means tax compliance documents can be quickly and securely transmitted to Inland Revenue without the need for paperwork and without the painful delays. Businesses can do it simply and easily, directly through our platform or via their accountant.”

MYOB said it had been working with Inland Revenue to find ways of simplifying a range of compliance and taxation processes, and had also worked with the government on the introduction of eGST, as well as changes to provisional taxation to allow it to be calculated and paid directly through a business’s accounting software package.

The Electronic Interactions Reform Bill contains proposals from the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), and the Department of Conservation (DOC) that would allow certain services offered by Births, Deaths and Marriages to be completed without requiring statutory declarations, and would remove some restrictions on the use of photographs stored in the Identity Verification Service with the consent of the subject of the photograph.

It would also allow requirements for individuals to “appear before” government agencies in certain proceedings, and for certain types of notices to be provided electronically. Further amendments relate to the online sale of game hunting licences