The good, the bad and Government 2.0

Beverley Head
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 08:56

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

Australia’s early forays into Government 2.0 have received a cautious thumbs-up from Gartner analyst Andrea di Maio who has been presenting on the bright and dark side of Government 2.0 at this week’s Gartner symposium in Sydney.

In June this year the Federal Government announced it was establishing a taskforce, to be led by Dr Nicholas Gruen, to explore the issue of government in the Web 2.0 era. Dr Gruen has until December 31st to prepare his report, and in an interview earlier this year said he would look at two key issues. “One is digital engagement. Use of blogs and wikis to consult and collaborate with citizens…the other one is pushing information onto the net so that people can make of that data what they will.”

Di Maio said he had been following the taskforce’s blog and that it seemed to be asking all the right questions. “If they have the right answers I don’t know.”

Nevertheless he believed “It is encouraging with respect to any other government including the US.”

He warned however that one of the challenges which governments needed to consider when developing a Web 2.0 strategy was to ponder the outcomes that might arise from mash ups which were created out of government information.

He offered the US example of a sex offender list which had been published by some States which showed offenders’ addresses. Meanwhile at the county level information had been posted online featuring school addresses.

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