What is GovCMS?

Where did Govt CMS NZ come from?

GovCMS NZ is a kiwi implementation of the GovCMS official project(Opens in a new tab/window), the world's leading open source GovTech platform for government website management.

Govt CMS NZ is directly based on the Australian GovCMS(Opens in a new tab/window) project, utilising the same core product and codebase, but forked specifically for New Zealand government agencies. This approach not only reduces costs for the New Zealand government by leveraging an already successful, scalable, and open-source solution, but also ensures that local agencies benefit from the enhancements made for Aotearoa’s unique needs. By adapting GovCMS to the New Zealand context, Govt CMS NZ enables streamlined digital service delivery while maintaining the same security, accessibility, and best practice standards developed in Australia

How does Govt CMS NZ work?

Govt CMS NZ operates as a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution for New Zealand government websites, offering comprehensive content management and hosting services. It is designed to make managing web content easy without requiring in-house technical expertise. Here’s how it works:

1. Content Management: Built on the Drupal open-source platform, Govt CMS NZ enables government agencies to create, update, and manage their websites. It offers flexible tools for fast editing, ensuring that websites remain up-to-date and accessible.
2. Web Hosting: Govt CMS NZ provides secure and scalable hosting using cloud infrastructure. This setup automatically adjusts to handle varying levels of traffic, ensuring website reliability and cost efficiency. The system supports over 300 websites and guarantees 99.95% uptime, with 24/7 monitoring.
3. Security and Compliance: It offers top-tier security that complies with government standards, ensuring that websites are protected from emerging threats. The platform is aligned with the Australian Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA standard, making it accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
4. Support and Community: Subscribers to Govt CMS NZ benefit from a community-driven environment where agencies can collaborate, share solutions, and access resources, reducing the technical and compliance burden​.

Why should we use it?

Who is powering GovCMS NZ?

Govt CMS NZ is finally in New Zealand, thanks to Public Purpose Technologies, Xequals , Amazee, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). These organisationspartner to provide the infrastructure, development support, and hosting services that enable the platform to deliver secure, scalable, and efficient content management and web hosting solutions for the New Zealand government​.

Here's how the different partners work together to deliver this service:

1. Public Purpose Technologies (SaaS Provider)

Public Purpose Technologies is the primary provider, responsible for managing the overall service delivery. Their roles include:

• Governance and Compliance: They ensure the platform meets New Zealand’s government standards for security, accessibility, and usability.
• Platform Management: Oversee regular updates, feature enhancements, and strategic planning to adapt to evolving governmental needs.
• Support and Training: They provide resources, training, and documentation to enable agencies to efficiently use the platform.
• Customer Engagement: Act as the first point of contact for agencies, managing feedback and coordinating with technical partners to meet the unique needs of each agency.

2. Xequals (Technical Partner)

Xequals is the Drupal expert responsible for custom development and website migration, offering:

• Website Migration: Seamless migration of existing websites to the platform, ensuring data integrity and minimal downtime.
• Customization and Development: Tailoring the platform’s features to specific agency requirements, from theme design to the integration of third-party systems.
• Compliance Assurance: Guaranteeing that all custom development meets local regulations, including privacy laws.
• Ongoing Support: Providing ongoing technical support, ensuring the platform continues to meet high performance and security standards.

3. Amazee.io (Hosting Partner)

Amazee.io delivers the hosting environment for Govt CMS NZ, using cutting-edge technologies like Kubernetes and Docker. Their responsibilities include:

• Containerized Hosting: Offering scalable, isolated hosting environments optimized for Drupal applications.
• Continuous Integration/Deployment: Automating development pipelines to reduce errors and accelerate updates.
• Security and Monitoring: Ensuring high security and performance through 24/7 monitoring and applying critical security patches.
• Technical Support: Providing hosting-related technical assistance and troubleshooting to maintain uptime and availability.

4. Amazon Web Services (AWS - Infrastructure Provider)

AWS provides the foundational infrastructure for the platform, offering:

• Compute and Storage: Scalable server and storage solutions tailored to the needs of government websites.
• Networking and Content Delivery: Ensuring fast and reliable website access with advanced networking solutions.
• Security and Compliance: AWS ensures data security and compliance with New Zealand’s strict data sovereignty laws, as well as international standards like ISO 27001.
• Global Infrastructure: Leveraging AWS’s global network to deliver low-latency, highly reliable website performance.

These partners collaborate to deliver a seamless web management service for New Zealand government agencies. Public Purpose Technologies acts as the central point of contact, coordinating between Xequals for technical development, Amazee.io for hosting, and AWS for infrastructure. Each partner brings expertise in their domain to create a platform that is secure, compliant, and flexible while maintaining government standards.

• Shared Responsibility:
  • Each partner has distinct responsibilities but collaborates closely.
  • Public Purpose Technologies oversees the overall service, while Xequals and other providers handle specialised tasks.
• Efficiency and Expertise:
  • Leveraging external experts like Xequals allows agencies to benefit from specialised Drupal expertise and smooth website migrations.
  • Agencies can focus on their core missions rather than managing technical infrastructure.
• Compliance and Security:
  • By using established providers like Amazee.io and AWS, GovCMS inherits robust security measures and compliance certifications.
  • This is crucial for maintaining public trust and meeting legal obligations.
• Scalability and Flexibility:
  • This partner model allows for easy scaling of resources to meet varying demands.
  • Agencies can extensively customise their websites while still operating within a managed and secure environment.

Together, they ensure that Govt CMS NZ is an efficient and cost-effective solution that simplifies government agencies' website management, allowing them to focus on delivering high-quality digital services.