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Feedback on the draft NZDCS discussion document, 21 December 2006

 

General comments
  1. Overall, LIAC endorses the thinking in the draft NZDCS document and supports the three broad types of digital content.  This framework will ensure that New Zealander’s are accessing, using and creating content. 
  2. LIAC agrees with the five key elements that have been developed to analyse gaps and identify opportunities – preserve, protect, understand, create / use, and share / access content.  These elements represent a powerful and world class model. 
  3. Moreover, the five elements and three types of content emphasise that digital content is a shareable resource which fosters innovation, creates knowledge partnerships and builds inclusive communities.   
  4. LIAC congratulates the government on developing a policy framework designed to deliver innovation underpinned by strong social networks.  This sits well with LIAC’s vision “Aotearoa - New Zealand : a leading information democracy”.

Operation and governance

  1. The draft discussion document is silent on two crucial areas - the  operational layer and the governance layer:
    • the strategy requires a number of funding and operational targets
    • the five key elements require funding.
  2. LIAC has long advocated for the entity - NZ Online. 
    • NZ Online can provide a governance layer responsible for achieving the goals, outcomes and vision;
    • Delivering on the vision of the NZDCS requires partnerships between government, community and the creative and commercial sectors.  NZ Online can provide this. 
    • NZ Online can distribute funding to agencies to deliver on the existing and new actions, such as an expanded National Preservation Office, the People’s Network or a National Digital Forum.
  3. In summary, the NZDCS has a first class strategic focus but it is essential that this be tied to the operational and governance model which can:
    • deliver on the goals and outcomes;
    • be responsible for the funding streams; and
    • is mandated to work with existing agencies as well as facilitate and help grow new ways of delivering the three types of content. 
  4. NZ Online is the model that can ensure digital content is a shareable resource which fosters innovation, creates knowledge partnerships and builds inclusive communities.

Specific comments on the goals and proposed actions: 

  1. LIAC supports a digital preservation office as standard setting is crucial in the digital environment.  A digital preservation office initiative should be publicly funded and open access.
  2. LIAC welcomes a more co-ordinated approach to the preservation of, and public access to, flim, video and sound content in order to avoid the duplication of effort (and content).   A review of institutional form of such organisations is welcome.
  3. LIAC endorses the Creative Commons license for New Zealand and looks forward to the seminar planned in February/March 2006.  It is anticipated that a Creative Commons license will take into account New Zealand’s unique cultural property rights as they relate to Mātauranga Māori.
  4. While the illusion of te Reo Māori and Mātauranga Māorithroughout the strategy is good to see, LIAC looks forward to seeing more specific and tangible actions around te Reo Māori/ Mātauranga Māoricontent and the protection of that content since Mātauranga Māori lives inside the formal content sphere.
  5. LIAC wishes to stress that, given the masses of important heritage material (some yet to be catalogued), the physical preservation of the analogue is vital to the long term success of a Digital Strategy.  LIAC therefore suggests that New Zealand’s Digital Strategy will be stronger if a complementary strategy for the preservation of the original analogue object is developed. 
  6. LIAC supports the People’s Network to overcome digital divide issues.