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Requesting the NZ Post Code database to be opened

with 4 comments

I recently sent this email off to a number of Ministers requesting that the NZ Post Code database be opened up and made freely available. I’ll write more later about the reasons why – but the main one is that the lack of a free post code database hinders new and novel applications of the post code, such as web services.

To the Ministers of: Commerce, Land Information, Stated Owned Enterprises, Communications and Information Technology

Re: New Zealand Post Code Database

Dear Ministers,

Currently the New Zealand Post Code Database is a paid-for dataset that New Zealand Post (a New Zealand State Owned Enterprise) charges a fee for.

See: Postcode Network File

I would like the relevant Ministers to investigate the release of postcode data that was announced late last year in the UK, where they are undertaking to open up and make freely available the postcode database. This is a fundamental and key dataset for business (and indeed non-profits and other community interest groups).

I would like to refer you to this BBC article that indicates that the UK Government is going to release the postcode data for free this year, and also point out that in the US all their zip code data is made available for free.

The release of the NZ postcode dataset would certainly seem to fit well with the Geospatial Strategy , and would be a continuation of the release of digital boundaries that started a couple of years ago with Statistics New Zealand.

I thank you in advance for consideration of this matter.

Kind regards,

Gavin Treadgold
Christchurch

On the 12th I received a reply stating that Minister Joyce will respond in due course.

12 May 2010

Mr Gavin Treadgold
CHRISTCHURCH

Dear Mr Treadgold

On behalf of the Hon Maurice Williamson, Minister for Land Information, I acknowledge receipt of your correspondence of 8 May 2010 regarding the fee for accessing the New Zealand Postcode Database.

In accordance with Ministerial responsibilities Hon Joyce will be responding for Ministers and Hon Williamson will provide input as required to that response following his consideration of your correspondence.

Yours sincerely

Stephen Walsh
Private Secretary – Land Information

Written by Gavin Treadgold

May 8th, 2010 at 5:29 am

Posted in Geospatial,Information Technology

Tagged with ,

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4 Responses to 'Requesting the NZ Post Code database to be opened'

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  1. I requested my DPID from NZ Post (http://www.nzpost.co.nz/Cultures/en-NZ/ProductsAndServices/D/DeliveryPointIdentifier/DeliveryPointIdentifier.htm) the other day. They responded with:

    “The DPID for this address is 67024, I am not sure why you would need to know it.”

    Each delivery point in NZ has a unique identifier. It would be great if we also get all of that data as well. A single, open address point database for NZ would make things a lot easier on everyone.

    Glen Barnes

    19 May 10 at 15:37

  2. Interesting Glen. Of course the DPID would be much more interesting if we had both address and some coordinates to go along with it. Since it is a delivery point, I assume it refers to a PO Box or a letterbox, which is sometimes only an approximation of the property – eg farm letterboxes Definitely need to have some of these core datasets being opened up, but I expect it will take some time. My plan is to try and pick some low hanging fruit and use overseas examples to hopefully reinforce why they should be opened. I’m going to start nagging the Fire Service again soon about the NZ Localities dataset… ;)

    Gavin Treadgold

    19 May 10 at 22:24

  3. Post is a sunset industry, it will exist for sometime but I can’t imagine seeing any new competition. When they released the new postcodes, and even now, they had no reason not to open the whole data set. Revenue from the PAF (Postal Address File) must be tiny (OIA question?). Giving it away would have fostered a developer community (a free postcode lookup webservice API all but guaranteed), and perhaps even encouraged increased postal delivery(!). Never too late for them to go down this path.

    Sam Giffney

    20 May 10 at 09:09

  4. Sam – agree entirely that post is becoming quite irrelevant. Like you though, I would love to see the Post Code database opened up to create new and novel web services. After all Post did a great job of educating everyone what post code they are in, we may as well try and use that information :)

    Gavin Treadgold

    21 May 10 at 20:07

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