NSW Premier foreshadows "new era of open government"

NSW Premier O'Farrell in opening the Creating Open Government Conference in Sydney last Tuesday spoke to the notes below regarding the state plan and open government. Always good to have the leader on the public record acknowledging "the right to openness, accountability and transparency when it comes to government decision making and information." And all ears for the announcement shortly of "a new era of open government." (Update).

NSW 2021

• In coming to office, the NSW Government was determined to put forward a plan, NSW 2021: A Plan to Make NSW Number One, to guide our policy and budget decision making and - in conjunction with the NSW Budget - to deliver on community priorities.

• Of the 32 goals identified, the important goal exists to “improve government transparency by increasing access to government information.”

• The community has the right to openness, accountability and transparency when it comes to government decision making and information.

• Providing people with access to information leads to improved community decision making and greater trust in public institutions.

• We will – and should - target to increase the public availability of government information; as well as provide up–to–date information about government services. Information belongs to the people – not to the government.

Open Government

• Shortly I will announce the NSW Government’s commitment to a new era of open government through the principles of transparency, participation, collaboration and innovation

• To do this, the NSW Government will enhance:

          online access to government services to make them available anywhere, anytime;

          online communications, including social networks, for internal and public   

          online mechanisms for community and industry collaboration on innovative solutions;

          dialogue;and  

• To implement this strategy we will implement a whole of government policy that:

           supports the use of social media for enhanced public engagement and service 

           delivery;

           expand and promote a single whole-of-government website to publish government 

           information; and         

           develop the best practice guidelines for the design of government websites, as well 

           as applications for smartphones and tablets, to make information available in a way

           that suits the customer.

   
Conclusion

 NSW Government will be giving back to people a government that lives with you, through opening information to people that is rightfully their information.