The Open Government Partnership (OGP) has at its heart a theme of continuously improving how government and citizens relate. The OGP recognises that the quality and effectiveness of government is increased by open government and by public participation in government. It encourages government and citizens to work together on actions that will make a measurable difference in openness and transparency, encourage public participation, and enable greater use of technology.

The OGP has challenged New Zealand to commit to actions that will maintain our strengths but build beyond them in areas where greater progress or new initiatives are needed. It sets out a process of public engagement and participation to develop a two year National Action Plan and track progress on implementing it.

This action plan contains commitments showing over the next two years how the New Zealand government will enhance the Open Government Partnership principles of transparency, accountability, technology and innovation and civil society participation in government.

The committments are in these areas:

1. Open Budget
2. Improving official information practices
3. Improving open data access and principles
4. Tracking progress and outcomes of open government data release
5. Ongoing engagement for OGP
6. Improving access to legislation
7. Improving policy practices