That paper reflects the enthusiasm, self-congratulation and unreality evident in the Government 2.0 exercise questioned in past posts of this blog.
The OAIC paper indicates that
This paper gathers together Australian reports and developments that advance the creation of Australian Government Information Policy.Terribly worthy but probably embraced by few senior officials and politicians.
Information is a valuable and powerful resource and is at the heart of government.
Good government, sound policy and just decision-making demand that information is collected, stored, managed, used and disclosed wisely and appropriately. Every decision and every activity of government uses information. Each year the amount of information held by government grows and at a faster pace.
Government information is equally valuable in the wider community. It can stimulate innovation and economic prosperity. It is used in business and lifestyle planning. Public access to government information is essential to evaluate the performance of government and hold it democratically accountable.
This paper defines some of the key issues that face Australian Government in developing information management policy, and proposes ten draft principles on open public sector information. Publication of this paper coincides with the opening of the new Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
What does the paper offer? It indicates that -
reform is of growing importance in Australian Government. With a view to strengthening government information policy and practices, the Australian Government has recently commissioned a number of reviews. Issues canvassed in this reform process include opening public sector information to greater use and reuse outside of government; using good information policy to stimulate innovation; enhancing participation in government through use of web 2.0 tools; encouraging a coordinated approach to government information policy; and clarifying the roles of key government information management agencies.The paper goes on to comment that a theme in reviews by the national government in recent years -
Concurrent with these reviews, the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (the FOI Act) has been substantially amended, 'to promote a pro-disclosure culture across government and to build a stronger foundation for more openness in government'. A new independent statutory office has been established, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), headed by three Commissioners: the Australian Information Commissioner, the Freedom of Information Commissioner and the existing Privacy Commissioner.
This paper outlines these policy initiatives and reforms and provides a snapshot of Australian Government information policy as it stands at the time of the establishment of the OAIC. A purpose of the paper is to identify some key issues facing the Australian Government in developing a coherent and effective information policy, including:• Ensuring a coordinated approach to government information management, given the variety of reforms, initiatives and proposals currently at play in the federal public sectorThose key issues are taken up in this paper in chapters that examine major reports and information policy initiatives, FOI reforms, the roles played by different Australian Government agencies, developments in other jurisdictions, current initiatives in public sector use and reuse, and guiding principles for effective information policy.
• Ensuring smooth interaction between key information policy agencies and committees
• Bringing agencies along with new information policy developments and making sure they are well equipped to implement change
• Keeping pace with international developments and innovations on public sector information and government information management
• Driving the momentum on open and reuseable public sector information.
is that public sector information has value as a national resource and, as such, should be managed appropriately and made publicly available.That is hardly a revelation, given overseas studies. The paper pronounces that
A free flow of information is critical to supporting innovation and development in both the public sector and the Australian economy. [There] is the need for a coordinated approach across government agencies and levels of government to managing this valuable resource. In July 2010, the Government affirmed its commitment to a culture of openness and the promotion of citizen participation by making a Declaration of Open Government.Declarations are easy; let's not dance in the streets until we have seen some substantive action.
The paper trumpets FOI developments, indicating that -
Far-reaching reform of the FOI Act commences operation in 2010. FOI exemptions have been narrowed, FOI application procedures have been improved, FOI charges have been lessened, and new complaint and review mechanisms have been established. A new objects clause has also been framed that emphasises the role of the FOI Act in increasing public participation in government processes and facilitating easier public access to government information. A new Information Publication Scheme requires Australian Government agencies subject to the FOI Act to publish a broad range of information on their websites.Cue sound of trumpets, with the OAIC noting that -
Complementing these reforms to the FOI Act, the OAIC was established as a statutory agency by the Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 (Cth). For the first time at the Commonwealth level, privacy protection, FOI and information policy advice have been brought together in one oversight body.Integration is fine, as long as policy is forward-looking, adequately resourced and vigorously implemented ... arguably three problems with the toothless tabby that was known as the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner.
But wait, as they say, the integration and coordination program - so easy to announce, so hard to implement in a world of budget stringencies and inter-agency hostility - rolls on.
There are currently a number of agencies with responsibilities in the area of government information policy and management. These include the OAIC, the Australian Government Information Management Office, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Attorney-General’s Department, the National Archives of Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Defence Signals Directorate. The need to harmonise the work of these agencies and develop consistent approaches across government to information management is a strong theme in recent reviews.Are we going to do more than identify a need for harmonisation? Is the government putting its money where its mouth is, and resiling from the decision to gut several regional offices of the National Archives?
Never fear, it seems, as the Web 2.0 mantra will come to the rescue -
Overseas, important developments have been taking place at national, regional and international levels to establish a framework of principles and procedures for publication of public sector information. A strong impetus for the reforms is a recognition of the powerful role of web 2.0 technology in disseminating information and facilitating its reuse. Australian Government agencies are already well-advanced in web-based publication of public sector information. Often this is done under open licensing and in a reusable format.No sign, of course, that funding cutbacks to the ABS will be reversed.
Publication projects discussed in this paper include the data.australia.gov. au website that hosts Australian Government datasets; ABS publication of statistical information; the Australian Early Development Index that provides a national snapshot of childhood development; the MySchool website that contains a profile of almost 10,000 Australian schools; the Australian Spatial Data Directory that provides access to spatial data used by industry, government and the community; the Environmental Resources and Information Network that publishes datasets relating to the Australian environment; the Australian Social Science Data Archive, which is a university based service that collects and preserves data relating to social, political and economic affairs; Mapping our Anzacs, which is collection of service records published by the National Archives; the Australian Newspapers Digitisation Program that has digitised out-of-copyright Australian newspapers from the 1800s to the mid-1950s; the National Public Toilet Map that shows the location of more than 14,000 toilet facilities around Australia; and geoscientific information published by Geoscience Australia.
There is more self-congratuilation with the news that -
Enormous strides have already been taken by Australian Government agencies in improving information management and publication. Important challenges lie ahead. One is to ensure a coordinated approach to government information management, given the variety of reforms, initiatives and proposals currently at play in the federal public sector. Recent reports have reflected on the desirability of a consistent approach across government to information management. One option is to develop a framework of principles as a guide for all agencies. There is flexibility in a principles-based approach to develop the principles in consultation with other levels of government, with the objective of a national information policy adopted by governments.The paper concludes with a summary of 'principles for open public sector information' that
Further issues for Australia include ensuring smooth interaction between key information policy agencies and committees, bringing agencies along with new information policy developments and making sure they are well equipped to implement change.
draw on the work of the Government 2.0 Taskforce and other existing information policy initiatives and principles and set out key themes including: open access to public sector information; effective information governance; robust information asset management; findable information; sound decision making processes; transparent complaints processes; open and accessible formats online; appropriate charging for access; clear reuse rights; and engaging the community.
