Labour wants online open door

The Labour Party's facebook page. Photo / Supplied

Need Winz advice or want to challenge Government policy? Just leave a comment on the minister's Facebook page.

An open, transparent government should interact with the public using the internet and social media, the Labour Party says.

The party held its first OpenLabourNZ conference at the weekend, promising to improve transparency and ways the public can engage the Government.

Labour leader Phil Goff used a fisheries minister, who has to balance of the interests of commercial and recreational users with customary interests and conservation, as an example of how to provide greater openness.

The Government could put a proposal online and stakeholders could comment on it.

"Decision-makers could consult online, and be available regularly to interact with interested parties. I don't believe that's unrealistic," Mr Goff said.

"I already do it to some extent with my own web presence. Dozens of people every day contact me through Facebook. They often ask questions and provide support, ideas - and, sometimes, criticism.

"Labour is holding web-based meetings where we can discuss issues and include comments and questions from anyone who wants to join in.

"This is a world away from the days when politicians would simply broadcast their views to the world and hope someone was listening."

Using social media depended on a fast and reliable internet connection, so "closing the digital divide" was important, he said.

Another discussion was about whether to make more Government documents public, automatically releasing papers unless there was a good reason not to, rather than waiting for requests.

Kiwiblogger and National Party member David Farrar, who attended the conference, said it remained to be seen what the Labour Party would adopt.

"But they've been having a good open process to get people's ideas. Often in policy development, a party is pretty opaque, where you just see what comes out in the end."

In another example, Mr Goff said there could be open internet forums in which beneficiaries could relate their experiences and government workers could respond.