[Forwarding from Anne Fitzgerald via --Peter Suber.]
The Australian Government's Department of Broadband, Communications
and Digital Economy (or BCDE), headed by Senator Stephen Conroy, has
established a blog (see
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/
communications_for_business/industry_development/digital_economy/
future_directions_blog ) seeking comments on various issues including
Access to Public Sector Information. Senator Lindsay Tanner, Minister
for Finance and Deregulation (whose portfolio includes the Australian
Government Information Management Office (AGIMO)) has been advocating
just such an initiative - see
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/
communications_for_business/industry_development/digital_economy/
future_directions_blog/topics/minister_tanners_welcome
The Access to PSI page is at
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/
communications_for_business/industry_development/digital_economy/
future_directions_blog/topics/open_access
I believe that this is the first time this issue has been
specifically raised for public consultation by the federal
government, although the Victorian Parliament has an ongoing inquiry
into access to PSI (see
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/edic/
inquiries/access_to_PSI/default.htm ). The federal government's
consultation blog appears to be in response to the recommendations
made by Dr Terry Cutler in the "Venturous Australia" Green Paper
produced as part of the review of the National Innovation System (see
generally at
http://www.innovation.gov.au), in particular
recommendations 7.7 and 7.14 (at
http://www.innovation.gov.au/
innovationreview/Documents/NIS_chapter%207.rtf ):
Recommendation 7.7: Australia should establish a National Information
Strategy to optimise the flow of information in the Australian economy.
The fundamental aim of a National Information Strategy should be to:
utilise the principles of targeted transparency and the development
of auditable standards to maximise the flow of information in private
markets about product quality; and
maximise the flow of government generated information, research, and
content for the benefit of users (including private sector resellers
of information).
Recommendation 7.14: To the maximum extent practicable, information,
research and content funded by Australian governments – including
national collections – should be made freely available over the
internet as part of the global public commons. This should be done
whilst the Australian Government encourages other countries to
reciprocate by making their own contributions to the global digital
pubic commons.
Please bring this to the attention of anyone you know who may be
interested in posting a comment.
Regards
Anne
Professor Anne Fitzgerald
QUT Law Faculty
OAK Law Project
www.oaklaw.qut.edu.au
Email:
[hidden email]
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