The public sector exists to serve, to build trust, and to make a lasting impact. But as technology advances and expectations rise, government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profits face growing pressure to modernise – all while navigating tighter budgets and ever-higher standards. They need solutions that are flexible, secure, and sustainable.
Catalyst has spent over 25 years helping the public sector meet these demands by adopting open source technology. Here’s a look at how smart software choices can lead to better outcomes.
Budget pressures, legacy systems, and the demand for transparency
Public sector organisations feel constant pressure to modernise, but outdated, clunky systems can hold them back. These legacy systems are expensive to maintain, slow to adapt, and often proprietary, tying up resources that could be better used to serve the public.
Meanwhile, as people become more digitally aware, they expect public services to offer the same ease and transparency as the private sector. From simple access to information to secure handling of personal data, the need for control and transparency continues to grow.
The question is, how can the public sector keep pace without stretching budgets too thin? At Catalyst, we believe open source technology offers a clear way forward, providing organisations with the freedom to tailor tools to their needs without the licensing costs or restrictions of proprietary software. Over the past two decades, we’ve seen remarkable successes across the sector.
Software, your way
Imagine not having to choose between quality and cost, stability and speed, or security and the freedom to innovate. What if your software didn’t limit you, but moulded itself to your goals?
That’s the power of open source.
In December 2023, for example, the Ministry of Education (MoE)(external link) worked with our team to migrate its learner progress and assessment systems—PaCT and Te Waharoa Ararau—to Catalyst Cloud. This move addressed the end-of-support for CentOS 7, delivering a more flexible, cost-effective, and secure infrastructure. We’ve proudly partnered with the Ministry for over a decade, now managing both applications and infrastructure on our Kubernetes-based Cove platform to enhance performance, stability, and security.
Another example is our work with the University of Canterbury. When they wanted a way to support students through their studies, we developed ACE, an early intervention system built on Moodle and integrated data tools. This solution empowers staff to step in early, giving students the best chance to succeed and went on to win the Improving Student Success Award.
When software is designed with your goals at its core, better outcomes follow.
Balancing freedom and control
Data is a powerful asset, and public sector organisations rightly want more control over it. From understanding what data is collected to how it’s stored and used, public agencies need secure, transparent solutions that protect data and build trust.
Proprietary software often comes with restrictive control and a roadmap that doesn’t always fit an organisation’s needs. Open source, on the other hand, grants organisations the freedom to build tailored solutions, maintain oversight of data, and even decide where to host it.
Catalyst’s cloud-agnostic hosting solution, Cove, embodies this principle. With Cove, agencies can host applications on any cloud provider, whether it’s one of the major players or a local provider supporting New Zealand’s data sovereignty, like Catalyst Cloud. Open source gives public sector organisations the flexibility to manage data on their own terms, ensuring privacy and strengthening trust with the communities they serve.
The people behind the public sector
The Māori proverb, He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata! (What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people!) is fundamental to many organisations. In fact, the Digital government even has a He Tāngata Principle(external link) which wraps around their Data Protection and Use Policy (DPUP).
At Catalyst, one of our strategic pillars is ‘Our Place’ which underpins how and why we work in New Zealand, for New Zealand and its people.
This people-first mindset underpins our work with public sector organisations.
The big questions are:
- What’s important to people, and how can technology help achieve it?
- If you were to start from scratch, with no pre-defined notions or complexities to overcome, what is does the best solution for the people look like?
The Koha project is a fantastic example of this. Koha is a library management system that started in New Zealand and is now used by over 18,000 libraries worldwide. It’s flexible, secure and driven by a worldwide community dedicated to maintaining its modernity, flexibility and security. In 2021, our team helped the Commerce Commission tailor their Koha to match their library’s specific needs and streamline their workflow.
We’ve also supported many other public sector organisations and government agencies to achieve success while maintaining that people-first mindset. For example, during the pandemic, we partnered with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to create a Financial Help Tool and continue to work with the DIA to support the Life Events platform.
To keep people at the heart of projects, we also provide web accessibility services. Our web accessibility experts are qualified on the DIA marketplace for accessibility and support government agencies to meet their MSD Accessibility Charter requirements.(external link) For instance, we worked with Inland Revenue (IRD) to identify how to achieve WCAG compliance and to best serve New Zealanders to access their taxes and information.
One of the greatest strengths of open source technology is the collaborative, global community filled with people from different skill sets behind it. Open source tools are supported by a network of experts and contributors who share insights, solve problems, and continuously improve the software for the people who use it.
No vendor lock-in
A major drawback of proprietary software is vendor lock-in, where organisations are dependent on a single provider for support, updates, and even data management. Open source offers a different path, keeping organisations in control of their systems and budgets. Need to switch providers, add new features, or reconfigure a system? Open source gives you the freedom to do so on your terms.
At Catalyst, we go beyond simply setting up systems. We make sure our clients have the skills and knowledge to manage their technology long-term, offering training and support to keep teams empowered. It also means that if you do decide to bring the work in-house or change providers, you’re set up for success.
Build better
Open source can better enable public sector organisations to grow and adapt, keeping them agile and responsive to changing needs.
Is your software holding you back? Build something better.
Need to tighten budgets while maintaining quality? Consider eliminating licensing fees.
Want to steer your own course? Flexible software solutions give you control.
And when it comes to security, privacy, and data management... well, you know where we’re going with this.
Open source aligns with public sector values and enables better transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We’ve seen its impact on public services first-hand—whether it’s developing a custom learning platform, securing data, or modernising an ageing system, our team of open source experts is here to help.
With the right support, public sector agencies can create systems that are scalable, secure, and make a real difference.
Build better.
