Creating a one-stop shop for Kiwi businesses

Fledgling New Zealand businesses will be able to secure their company name, domain name and trade mark from one search thanks to a new product launched by the government.

Unveiled by Business, Innovation and Employment minister Steven Joyce, ONECheck is an online search tool that delivers more efficient, user-friendly government online services to Kiwi companies.

Until now, people have had to search three different websites to check the availability of their new business name but Joyce says the product is one of the steps towards the Government’s planned one-stop online shop for businesses from the Better Public Services initiative.

“The point of having a one-stop shop is to make the interaction with Government quick, seamless and user-friendly," he says.

"This new online search tool integrates, refines and improves current government services to businesses.

“The importance of this cannot be underestimated when you consider that 90 per cent of businesses have contact with one or more government agencies at least once a year.

“That’s 409,000 businesses and about three million interactions between government agencies and small-to-medium sized enterprises every four months.

“The Government is working towards a 25 per cent reduction in business costs from dealing with Government by 2017 and better integration of services that remove confusion and save firms time and money will help us achieve that.”