Electronic Democracy New Zealand

Paul Hughes
(www.naturespace.co.nz)

How can Edemocary empower communities?

• Democracy without participation will wither on the vine
• Participation requires the transfer of some power from government to the people
• EDemocracy is a principle that assists that transfer

Presentation Content

• What are the relevant principles of democracy?
  
• How can the Internet assist those principles in NZ society?
  
• How would that empower communities?
  
• How are other societies empowering their communities?
  
• What are the threats that can disempower?
  
• How is NZ Government performing?

1. What should you expect from the NZ Government to empower your community?

What are the relevant principles of democracy?

While there are many principles of democracy, I shall focus on those where the Internet can assist with the information relationship between the citizen and government.

• Principle 1 All Law is available.
• Principle 2 All elected representatives and government agencies can be contacted.
• Principle 3 All Official Information Indexes, Statutory documents, publications, and Databases are documented and available.
• Principle 4 No one is denied access to Democracy.
• Principle 5 Any Public Consultation uses commonly available techniques.
• Principle 6 The program of government is made available by all government agencies.
• Principle 7 Citizen Entitlements under the Law and Government Policy are documented.

2. How can the Internet assist those principles in NZ society? Advantages

The Internet has several advantages over a paper as a medium:

• It can enable information transfer at a marginal cost approaching zero
• It is relatively instantaneous
• It overcomes the barriers of distance and timing
• It can include computers that index large volumes of information

3. How can the Internet assist those principles in NZ society? Enhancements

Therefore the Internet can enhance democracy in the following ways:

1. The Law is available to all, regardless of its changeability, complexity and volume.

2. Elected representatives and government agencies can be contacted by anyone at any time.

3. Public Information is available to all, regardless of its complexity and volume.

4. Public Kiosks can ensure that the poor and prisoners have access.

5. Public Consultation is available to all.

6. The Program of Government is available to all at any time.

7. Citizen Entitlements are known to all at any time.

4. How would that empower communities?

EDemocracy can empower communities in several ways:

• Reduced marginal costs of participation
• Poor and their advocates can better participate
• Travellers and rural people can participate despite the barrier of distance
• Prisoners can access the Law and their normal citizen entitlements
• Shiftworkers and people with restrictive jobs can participate despite the barrier of timing
• The disabled can understand and navigate public information on the Web
• There is better information to participate in democratic decision-making
• The community knows what government plans are
• The community can better communicate with government
• Citizen entitlements are better known
• The Law is more accessible and there is less need for lawyers

5. How are other societies empowering their communities?

• Law - The Tasmanian Government site at http://www.thelaw.tas.gov.au/
• Contact Agencies - The Tasmanian Government at http://www.tas.gov.au/subject/agencies.htm#sc561
• Contact Representatives - The Northern Territory at http://www.nt.gov.au/ntg_internet/govt/members.shtml
• Public Information - The US government Electronic Freedom of Information (EFOI) http://www.usdog.gov/oip/foia_updates/Vol_XVII_4/page2.htm
• Public Information - National Spatial Data Infrastructure(NSDI) http://nsdi.usgs.gov/
• Kiosks in Boston and New York and Lincoln, Nebraska http://interlinc.ci.lincoln.ne.us/both/kiosk.htm and Boulder, Colorado http://bcn.boulder.co.us/help/access.html
• Consultation - UK Dept. Environment... http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/conindex.htm
• Agenda - Port Coquitlam, Canada http://city.port-coquitlam.bc.ca/Departments/clerk/councilminutes/index.htm
• Citizen Entitlements - US Dept Housing & Urban Development http://www.hud.gov/progdesc/cdbgent.html

6. What are the threats that can disempower?

• Lack of equitable access to the Internet
• Lack of standards in government web pages
• Lack of telephony at a reasonable price
• Locking away public information in private databases
• Lack of computer and reading literacy
• Limiting the use of public information by charging and restrictions
• Withholding of public information from the Internet by government
• Withholding EMail access to elected representatives and government agencies

7. How is NZ Government performing? Bad

• No government policies for electronic democracy
• The Law is not in the public domain online
• MP’s and Councillors are generally not available using Email
• Little public information available online
• EGovernment is not Edemocracy - it is generally Eefficiency
• Charging and imposing legal contracts that limit access to public information
• Citizen entitlements are not known

8. How is NZ Government performing? Good

• MAF Standards - shining example of the Law online
• LINZ databases - 2 public databases online
• Dunedin City Council - public notices and public databases
• Wellington City Council - Minutes and Councillors Email
• Legislation online announcement - by 2002

9. What should you expect from the NZ Government to empower your community?

The Charter sums it all up:

• All Law is available free on the Internet.
• All elected representatives and government agencies can be contacted using the Internet.
• All Official Information Indexes, Statutory documents, publications, and Databases are documented and available free on the Internet.
• Government provides free Public Internet Kiosks to deliver Electronic Democracy to citizens, so that no one is denied access.
• Any Public Consultation uses the Internet to complement traditional techniques.
• The program of government is made available on the Internet by all Government agencies.
• Citizen Entitlements under the Law and Government Policy are documented and facilitated on the Internet.

CONTACT THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY YOU DEAL WTH NOW!

10. CONCLUSIONS

• Empowerment of the community requires commitment to participatory democracy by government
• An empowered community can better determine its future
• Communities that want to determine their future need an environment of participatory democracy
• EDemocracy is a communication principle to assist in the restoration of participatory democracy

FURTHER READING

• Electronic Democracy NZ - Info, Forum, Charter http://www.naturespace.co.nz/ed/
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/
• Rooting Democracy, Rayner, M., 1997, Allen & Unwin, Australia
• The joy of lobbying, Kent, D., 1999, Gateway Lobbyskills, Wellington, NZ
• Lobbying for Social Change, Richan, W.C., 1996, The Haworth Press, Binghamtom, USA
• Cyberspace Divide, Loader, B.D., 1998, Routledge, London
• Unbridled Power, Palmer, G., 1979, Oxford University Press, Wellington
• Democracy on-line, Cullen, R. & Houghton, C., 2000, Victoria University, Wellington
• Companies Office - blocked Official Information http://www.companies.govt.nz/search/cad/DBSSITEN.main?
  p_access_no=&p_option=REGIS
• MAF - Regulatory Standards http://www.maf.govt.nz/Standards/index.html
• Land Information NZ - Geodetic & Place-name Databases http://www.linz.govt.nz/databases/index.html
• Dunedin City Council - Public Notices & Public Databases http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/?page=Elected_Council
• Wellington City Council - Minutes & Councillors http://www.wcc.govt.nz/democracy/
• Parliamentary Counsel Office - Legislation online by 2002 http://www.pco.parliament.govt.nz/papers/ipal/contents.html

Thank You