NZ to adopt free operating systems and open-source software across government agencies

A person in New Zealand has launched a petition urging the government to ditch Microsoft products in favour of Linux and open-source software across all public agencies. The petition argues that taxpayers are currently spending millions of dollars every year on Windows and Office licensing fees, money the organisers say flows straight out of the country to a foreign corporation with no lasting benefit to the public. They frame the campaign as a matter of both fiscal responsibility and digital sovereignty, warning that heavy reliance on a single overseas vendor leaves the public sector exposed to security risks, rising costs, and data governed by foreign laws. There is heated discussion in reddit talking about this petition.

(https://medium.com/plans?source=promotionparagraph---postbodybannerrabbitholescribble--62b073ff86c4---------------------------------------)

The petition points to Linux and LibreOffice as ready-made, cost-free alternatives already used successfully by governments and organisations around the world. Supporters note that LibreOffice is compatible with standard Microsoft file formats, meaning the switch wouldn’t disrupt day-to-day document sharing with businesses or the public. They also highlight added benefits such as stronger security through open-source code review, greater customisability, and environmental gains, since open-source systems tend to run well on older hardware, extending device lifespans.

Rather than demanding an immediate nationwide rollout, the petition calls for practical first steps: an independent cost-benefit study, pilot programmes in a handful of government agencies, and a formal policy giving open-source software equal footing in procurement decisions. It also urges greater transparency around how much public money currently goes to proprietary software licences, along with a shift toward open document formats to safeguard long-term access to government records. An organiser describes the effort not as an ideological stance against any company, but as a call for prudent stewardship of public money and greater national control over the country’s digital infrastructure.

If the campaign gains enough momentum, New Zealand could find itself joining the ranks of countries like France, Germany, South Korea, and Brazil, all of which have already made moves toward open-source adoption in their public sectors. It’s a sign of what looks increasingly like a broader global shift away from proprietary software and toward open, publicly accountable alternatives.


source: NZ to adopt free operating systems and open-source software across government agencies | by Alex Ilin | Jul, 2026 | Medium


petition: Petition of Alexander Ilin: Adopt free operating systems and open-source software across government agencies

https://redd.it/1v45zoh
@r_linux