Gov 2.0: Tanner, Ludwig accept taskforce proposals

James Riley
Monday, 03 May 2010 16:46

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

The Rudd Government has accepted the lion's share of recommendations in the Government 2.0 Taskforce report and will introduce a swag of directives to encourage the use of collaboration and social networking tools within the public sector.

Following the lead of the US, the Federal Government plans to formally adopt through the Parliament a 'Declaration of Open Government,' a simple statement of intent designed to drive a pro-disclosure culture within the public sector.

The Department of Finance has been appointed lead agency in a cross-department steering group that will develop guidelines for public servants to encourage the use of Web 2.0 collaborative technologies to engage with the community.

And the Australian Public Service Commission has been charged with developing strategies for cultural change inside Government that makes the open public access to information the default position of public servants in their handling of information.

Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner and Special Minister of State Joe Ludwig said Government agreed with or largely accepted 12 of the 13 recommendations of the Government 2.0 Taskforce report - the one sticking point involving the tax treatment of 'information philanthropy.'

But despite the broad sweep of acceptance of the Taskforce report, there remains some contradictions. While Finance will lead the steering group that aims to open up access to public sector information and change public service cultural practices, it will also develop guidelines for sections of government where information will not be disclosed.

Decisions on a number of recommendations were deferred, complicated by a current review of the Freedom of Information regime, with government waiting until that process is complete before making decisions about overlap.