Ministry of Health media release
17 September 2012
The Ministry of Health is one of the first government agencies to have enabled access to its websites via IPv6.
Internet growth has meant that the 4.3 billion available IPv4 internet addresses – a requirement for anyone using any means like computers or mobile phones to connect to the Internet – has run out and a new address system, called IPv6, is now being increasingly used.
The Ministry of Health has enabled its core website www.health.govt.nz to be accessible via the new internet address system.
Ministry of Health’s Deputy Director-General of Health, Barbara Phillips, says websites are a key way to provide health and disability information and access to services for all New Zealanders. Up to 130,000 people now visit the Ministry website each month.
Ms Phillips says keeping our websites and their infrastructure up to date is vital in today’s work environment.
The Minstry’s move has been recognised by the New Zealand IPv6 Task Force, an industry-led body set up to encourage government agencies and other organisations to become IPv6 accessible.
IPv6 Taskforce Convenor Dr Murray Milner says, ‘Having more agencies able to operate within IPv6 is important as it means that Government is playing their part in upgrading the infrastructure around web services in New Zealand. It’s a good demonstration of ‘Better Public Services’ in action.’
A list of New Zealand government websites tested as IPv6 accessible can be found at www.ipv6.govt.nz/govt-ipv6-site