I will comment publicly on the NZOSS site about this. I am in no way connected to GLS, Vovo or Laurence Millar and know nothing about the GLS project other than what has be placed in the public domain recently.

However, the loss of Laurence from NZ Government circles is a crying shame. He brought a lot of vision and very broad experience to his role and this will be very hard to replace. I can't think of any other government CIO that has his background.

He is always very open to new ideas and different ways of achieving positive outcomes for the people he serves, i.e. NZ citizens. For example, the idea of 'open data' was one that he championed and his other initiatives, such as giving IT companies ownership of the IP they develop for Government, will have long lasting effects.

I hope he goes on to greater things and that those things happen in New Zealand. I also hope SSC manage to find a replacement whose mind is as open and enquiring as Laurence's.