Chief Executive's Overview

2008/09 has been a year of both achievement and change for LINZ. We have achieved major milestones in the delivery of key projects, as well as developed greater clarity about our medium-term focus and strategy. We adjusted quickly to the change of Government, while experiencing internal change in our senior management team.

Achieving 100% electronic lodgement of survey and title transactions in February this year was the culmination of several years' concentrated effort, not only by LINZ but by the survey and conveyancing communities. Electronic lodgement has meant 30% reductions in the time taken to process transactions (where needed), as well as instantaneous lodgement of most transactions, reducing risk and cost to all parties involved.

We have significantly revamped the way we are collecting, maintaining and delivering our land and seabed information, with electronic navigational charts rolled out from November 2008, and a new 1:50,000 scale map series ready for public launch in September this year. As a result of automating production, for the first time a new map series for all of New Zealand can be launched at one time, with all New Zealand emergency services using the maps.

We have also completed the majority of a review of our regulatory interventions, moving to an optimal (fit for purpose and not over- or under-regulating), risk-based approach that better supports ongoing business productivity and economic growth.

Over the year, my first year as Chief Executive, we reviewed and clarified our strategic direction – and where we'll focus our efforts to best achieve our outcomes. This included placing a leadership and coordination role for LINZ across the geospatial sector squarely in our strategic and organisational framework.

I took the opportunity presented by changes in the LINZ leadership team to review our capability across our five business groups, and make some adjustments to ensure we are best placed to deliver on our strategy. We also reviewed our activities and funding to see where savings could be made, and offered back $18 million of Crown (taxpayer) funded savings over 2008/09 and the following three years. Ensuring we are delivering the right things in the most efficient and effective way will remain an ongoing focus for us. The significant changes we have achieved this year to move much of our information and services to electronic platforms stand us in good stead.

As a knowledge-based organisation, our employees are vital to our success. Over the year, we have renewed our focus on talent management for the future and engaging our employees, and this will continue over the coming years.

The year has seen us deliver what we set out to achieve several years ago, and consequently considering the next priorities for LINZ. Our increasing use of technology has opened up new opportunities to help further New Zealand's economic and social prosperity. This means the future is less certain and we will be building our people's skills in working with ambiguity and identifying and exploring where we can best add value. The challenge before us is an exciting one. This year's work and our past achievements place us in a good position to meet that challenge.

Colin MacDonald

Chief Executive