Australia's Open Government Partnership plans: possible commitments

The following suggestions for commitments, if supported ,require refinement to ensure any commitment is specific, concrete and ambitious.We should learn from experience with the first plan that vague statements of intended outcomes  and plans to review and consult do not meet this OGP requirement. 

1. Anti-corruption
A national integrity commission and a suite of anti-corruption reforms not limited to those  included in the first national action plan yet to be delivered.

The Deputy CEO of the OGP Support Unit Joe Powell urges countries preparing a plan this year to include anti corruption measures.
https://voices.transparency.org/2018s-corruption-focused-summits-must-turn-promises-into-action-358fa5d35505

2. Integrity

Address gaps and weaknesses in lobbying and political donations regulation. Measures to include a comprehensive scheme for registration of lobbyists, periodic reporting of lobbying activity.

Join Parliament in the open government initiative with a commitment to adopt a code of conduct for parliamentarians and an open government oversight committee.

3. Information access

Pick up from where Commitment 3.1 in the first plan leaves us.
The published information provides no information about what AGD has brought to the attention of government on this commitment.

Those consulted a year ago provided many suggestions for improving and modernising law policy and practice. Recommendations from the Hawke review and the ALRC report "Secrecy laws and open government in Australia" have not been acted upon.

Australia's FOI act  receives 81 /150 points in this respected international assessment
http://www.rti-rating.org/country-data/scoring/?country_name=Australia

placing it 57 of 112 laws surveyed. Regardless of the accuracy of this rating the law is middle of the pack, not near international best practice.

Extend pro-active publication requirements- grants, gift registers, appointment diaries for example. Many requirements for disclosure in annual reports should become quarterly or continuous disclosure obligations.

Legislate for open data release including publication of agency data set holdings, publish data sets in machine-readable formats and require updating on a regular basis and confer rights to seek review of agency practice and decisions.

4. Sector specific commitments

The low level of awareness of the OGP initiative and  the limited contributions to discussion of possible commitments means few sector specific issues have been raised to date.

A renewed effort is required now to bring into the discussion of ideas for improvement social welfare and justice groups, indigenous voices and potentially interested parties from sectors such as health, aged care and environment. Issues likely to emerge include

Health
https://home.kpmg.com/au/en/home/insights/2017/05/improving-australia-healthcare-through-transparency.html
https://grattan.edu.au/report/all-complications-should-count-using-our-data-to-make-hospitals-safer/

Nursing Homes
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/aged-care-watchdog-sacked-in-abuse-scandal-fallout-20180215-p4z0gk.html

Environment
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/feb/20/fantasy-documents-recovery-plans-failing-australias-endangered-species
https://theconversation.com/latest-twist-in-the-adani-saga-reveals-shortcomings-in-environmental-approvals-91821

5. Civic participation

Pick up on where commitment 5.2 leaves us.
This statement on your web page is questionable:
"As part of our first Open Government National Action Plan, we developed a new government framework that helps make sure that people are heard as government makes decisions or delivers services."

In fact all that has happened so far is the Department of Industry Innovation and Science has published a report.

Adoption of a new model is the next step but we do not appera to be there yet.

.

6. Address shortcomings in budget development and oversight as identified by the International Budget Partnership
https://www.internationalbudget.org/
For the first time in 2017 the survey includes a ranking for Australia.

While improvements across the board  are recommemded the score on Public Participation 41/100 is well below the 60/100 set as satisfactory
"Australia provides limited opportunities for the public to engage in the budget process."
See recommendations.
https://www.internationalbudget.org/open-budget-survey/results-by-country/country-info/?country=au

Two of 16 points required for eligibility to join the OGP are based on the IBP score.
https://www.opengovpartnership.org/resources/eligibility-criteria

7. Improve civil society capacity, reaffirm the right to democratic participation threatened by limitations on not for profits and civil society organisations by the Foreign Donations Bill
https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2018/02/predictions-2018-volunteering/

and other legislation. In practical terms encourage and empower civil society to engage and collaborate fully with government.

Reminder:
The Government committed to the Open Government Declaration in November 2015. The declaration states: "..We commit to making policy formulation and decision making more transparent, creating and using channels to solicit public feedback, and deepening public participation in developing, monitoring and evaluating government activities. We commit to protecting the ability of not-for-profit and civil society organizations to operate in ways consistent with our commitment to freedom of expression, association, and opinion..."

The Australian Government was party to a Joint statement on Protection and Promotion of Civil Society issued in Washington on 23 September 2013 supported by 23 other governments. after meeting with civil society and other groups in New York.
The statement

"affirms that the strength and vibrancy of nations depend on an active civil society and robust engagement between governments and civil society to advance shared goals of peace, prosperity, and the well-being of all people.  We noted our deep concern that many governments are restricting civil society and the rights of freedom of association and expression, both online and offline.  To combat this alarming trend, our governments committed to work together to respond to growing restrictions on civil society that undermine its ability to perform its crucial role....  We will lead by example to promote laws, policy decisions, and practices that foster a positive space for civil society in accordance with international law, and oppose legislation and administrative measures that impede efforts of civil society.  We will undertake joint diplomatic action whenever necessary to support civil society in countries where it is under threat, and to defend the fundamental freedoms of association and peaceful assembly. We will also work to develop new and innovative ways of providing technical, financial, and logistical support to promote and protect the right of citizens and civil society to freely associate, meaningfully engage with government, and constructively participate in processes to improve the well-being of their countries.  Throughout all of these efforts, our nations will continue to engage with representatives of civil society to help us understand and respond to the challenges they confront.  We commit to gather again at the opening of the 69th United Nations General Assembly to review our progress toward these objectives.  We will work in concert over the coming year to ensure a robust, effective international response to the proliferation of restrictions being placed on civil society. We call on representatives of civil society, the philanthropic community, the private sector, and other governments to partner with us in supporting and defending civil society.")

Australia's Open Government Partnership plans: preliminary comments

The following observations, comments and suggestions are put forward for consideration as plans for the OGP national action plan are developed.

Some raise administrative and policy issues that are unlikely to result in commitments in the plan but nevertheless are relevant to our open government ambitions.

1.Uncertainty about where things stand

The lack of information about where things stand and the likely outcomes by July 2018 limits discussion of possible commitments for the next plan.
A number of  commitments are tagged 'Delayed.'
With these commitments and others currently described as 'On track' it is not clear where we are, where we are going and where if anywhere we should aim for next. Current reporting on Commitments 3.1 Information Access (AGD) and 4.3 Open Contracting (Finance) for example provides no indication of what is under consideration by the government.

The lack of information hampers discussion about the next phase.

2. Moving toward the open government state

All levels and all branches of government are on the open government journey.
While roughly moving in the same direction they appear to be separate journeys.

The OECD (2016 Open Government The Way Forward) identifies the challenges countries face in implementing and co-ordinating open government initiatives. It outlines benefits from mobilising and engaging all branches and all levels of government in order to move from 'open government' to 'open state.'

http://www.oecd.org/gov/open-government-9789264268104-en.htm

Has government examined the benefits and options for

3. Link with Sustainable Development Goals.

The OECD report also advocates linking open government plans with the Sustainable Development Goals.

While not included as a commitment, the current National Action Plan refers to the link between Australia’s open government plans and the Sustainable Development Goals . 
The plan states the government’s intention to endorse the Joint Declaration on Open Government for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, explaining the declaration “commits us to transparency, openness and accountability in our domestic and international implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also commits us to look for opportunities in future National Action Plans to progress implementation of the SDGs.”

There has been no public statement about endorsement of the Joint Declaration. There is no mention of the Open Government Partnership in any of the published SDG material on the DFAT website, or in any speeches or statements by the Minister for Foreign Affairs or other government representatives such as the Ambassador to the United Nations.

4. Administrative arrangements OGP
The allocation of responsibilities for policy and management of OGP requires examination
The OGP Support Unit is located in Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Presumably the Unit reports to the Minister for Finance who was designated minister responsible for co-ordination of implementation of commitments in the first national action plan and would appear to have an ongoing role.
This unusual arrangement should be looked at in the context of broader information policy.

5. A transparency regime for the 21st century.
'Information policy' is not mentioned in the Administrative Arrangements Order.

Section 7 of the Australian Information Commissioner Act describes the information commissioner functions that include

(a)  to report to the Minister on any matter that relates to the Commonwealth Government's policy and practice with respect to:

 (i)  the collection, use, disclosure, management, administration or storage of, or accessibility to, information held by the Government; and

(ii)  the systems used, or proposed to be used, for the activities covered by subparagraph (i)..

There is no mention of this function or work associated with it in published plans or reports of the OAIC in recent years.

AGD is responsible for

Privacy

Freedom of Information

Management of government records.

PMC is responsible for

Co-ordination of Government administration

Public data policy and related matters.
 

Department of Finance is managing a Whole-of-Government Digital Records Platform Project which presumably will introduce automated systems to facilitate access to some records.

National Archives is responsible for Digital Continuity 2020, a government wide program moving to 'all digital' records.

In all this do we have a minister responsible for information policy? Or a well co-ordinated departmental arrangement?

There is a strong case for at least bringing together functions such as FOI and open data policy and practice. 

See Beth Simone Novek on why a similar silo arrangement in the US is a barrier to a  satisfactory transparency regime for the 21st century.

Australia's Open Government Partnership plans

I've lodged three comments/submissions about the current consulation by Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on possible commitments for the second OGP National Action Plan.

On meetings in Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane that concluded on 23 March

"Based on the Sydney meet that I attended and feedback from Canberra and Melbourne, the round of consultations was disappointing to put it mildly.

Attendances were low. The lack of awareness of the OGP initiative continues. Beyond utilisation of social media, were steps taken to identify civil society organisations that would seem to have an interest in these issues? Did any agency other than PMC refer to the consultation on their website or contact organisations they deal with to encourage engagement?

The absence of indications from government of serious intent is a factor in the low level of engagement.

When has the PM followed up his words of November 2015 with anything that resembles strong ongoing enthusiasm for OGP principles and values?

A statement by the PM followed by a personal invitation to come forward, contribute and engage with government might have received a better response.

The presentation and facilitation at the Sydney meeting would not engender confidence in any new comer that this is an initiative worth time and energy. Senior government officials were not present. Those who were lacked background and detailed knowledge which meant discussion of particular topics could not get beyond generalities.

Thought bubbles were the dish de jour.The Butchers paper notes published on the website do not reflect the views of the gathering.There was no attempt to seek consensus on topics or possible commitments.

Four hours during working hours is a big ask for those gainfully employed.Another session- shorter,deeper, attended by senior people and likely more engaging-might have seen others attend.

I’d add that the limited take up so far on the invitation to lodge written submissions also reflects low awareness and lack of enthusiasm-for reasons cited above.

An attempt to lift the game should start with the Prime Minister making it clear publicly that Australia is committed to reform, what is on the table and anything that isn’t, and that he and his ministers welcome contributions and will ensure they are given serious consideration."