Ministry of Women paves the way for eInvoicing rollout in NZ government
Minitatanga mō ngā Wāhine (The Ministry of Women) is now the latest government agency to implement eInvoicing, making it easier for those in need to get support.
As part of a new broader announcement on government infrastructure, the NZ government has mandated eInvoicing for all central government departments by March 31 2022. The Ministry for Women is one of five departments chosen to be live on the network early.
Estimates show nearly 90% of New Zealand Government agencies could be ready by the March deadline, though it is expected that a few will choose to delay.
Ministry for Women CFO Raj Narayan says the agency was committed to improving processes for all involved, and the changeover was a natural fit as they progressed forward.
"We see eInvoicing as being a benefit to all our suppliers. We didn't see a need to wait until the mandate deadline, but rather, we wanted to be active as soon as we could," he says.
The Ministry is one of a number of New Zealand Government departments to choose Peppol certified Access Point Link4 as their eInvoicing provider. Link4 has a broad reach across the APAC region and provides services to a variety of sectors and organisations.
In July 2021, Link4 was selected as a preferred partner for eInvoicing adoption for government agencies in New Zealand. They are also currently the most popular eInvoicing provider to the Australian Government, with agencies like the Treasury, Australian Sports Commission, and Geoscience Australia live with Link4 technology.
Link4 CEO Robin Sands believes that having a strong eInvoicing system can unlock many opportunities not only for government agencies but also businesses.
"Switching to eInvoicing can lead to significant productivity and cost efficiency benefits not only for an individual business but for the New Zealand economy. It's a win, win," says Sands.
In 2018, Minister for Small Business Hon Stuart Nash estimated that a 15% uptake of eInvoicing by New Zealand businesses and Government agencies could save up to NZ$500 million a year.
In Australia, the Australian Taxation Office has estimated that up to AUD$28 billion can be saved over ten years by adopting these systems, which is money that can be effectively saved to enhance better economic growth.
Hundreds of New Zealand businesses are currently utilising Link4 eInvoicing services, including SMEs like Innovative Plumbing, Brewtopia and New York Grill, as well as large enterprises like BOC New Zealand.
"It's great to see so many new Government agencies adopt eInvoicing on both sides of the Tasman and were excited to be supporting this initiative," says Sands.
"The sooner we build the network, the sooner the New Zealand economy will see advantages such as increased business efficiency, digital security and cash-flow benefits."
