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Victoria - 21st Century Approach to Government Information

Committee calls for improved access to Victorian Government information

Parliament of Victoria, Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee, Media Release, 24 June 2009

The Victorian Parliament's Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee today tabled a report calling for improved access to Victorian Government information.

The Committee was asked to report on the benefits and costs of maximising access to and use of Government information for commercial and non-commercial purposes.

The Committee's key recommendation is that the Victorian Government establish an Information Management Framework (IMF), with open access to Government information at no or marginal cost as the default position.

The Chair of the Committee, the Hon. Christine Campbell MP said, "Governments are the largest holders of information and opening this up for public use will drive innovation across Victoria."

"The Committee believes the economic and social benefits arising from the release of Victorian Government information at no cost will far outweigh the benefits of treating it as a commodity."

To facilitate discovery of Victorian Government information, the Committee recommended the development of a data directory to allow anyone to identify what information and data exists.

"A comprehensive and searchable register of materials held by the Government is essential to improve access to government information," Ms Campbell said.

The Committee was also asked to consider how flexible licensing systems would facilitate reuse of government information. It recommended the Victorian Government adopt the Creative Commons licensing model.

"Based on the concept of ‘free culture', Creative Commons provides a consistent and simple set of licensing options that allow the Victorian Government to make materials available for reuse on liberal terms," Ms Campbell said.

During the course of the Inquiry, the Committee received 80 written submissions and convened public hearings with 32 witnesses. The Committee's report contains 46 recommendations.

The Victorian Government has six months to respond to the Committee's recommendations.

Contact the Hon. Christine Campbell, MP for further comment on pager 9625 1108. Copies of the report are available from the Papers Office, Parliament House, or at www.parliament.vic.gov.au/edic

Inquiry into Improving Access to Victorian Public Sector Information and Data Recommendations

Recommendation 1:
That the Victorian Government release a public statement indicating that it endorses open access as the default position for the management of its public sector information.

Recommendation 2:
That the Victorian Government develop a whole-of-government Information Management Framework (IMF) with the following key features:

that the object of the IMF is to promote and facilitate increased access to and re-use of Victorian public sector information (PSI) by government, citizens, and businesses;
that the default position of the IMF be that all PSI is made available;
that the IMF define and describe criteria under which access to PSI may be restricted, or released under licence;
that PSI made available under the IMF be priced at no cost or marginal cost; and
that the IMF establish a systematic and consistent whole-of- government methodology for categorisation, storage and management of PSI.

Recommendation 3:
That the Victorian Government prospectively apply the Information Management Framework to its public sector information.

Recommendation 4:
That the Victorian Government adopt a narrow definition for the public sector for the purpose of establishing the government Information Management Framework. Initially this definition should comprise only Victorian Government departments.

Recommendation 5:
That implementation of the Information Management Framework be conducted via a staged approach, with the executive branch of the Victorian Government leading development of the framework, and encouraging other agencies and entities to adopt similar frameworks, in the following order:

Victorian Government;
Parliament of Victoria, the judicial system and statutory authorities; and
other public sector agencies, including public hospitals and local councils.

Recommendation 6:
That the Victorian Government, through individual departments, employ a systematic approach to identify materials for release and publish those materials on department websites.

Recommendation 7:
That the Victorian Government seek legal advice to ensure it is fully covered for all areas of possible legal action that may arise from the release of public sector information.

Recommendation 8:
That the Victorian Government encourage as part of its funding agreements with research agencies and higher education institutions that research results be deposited in open access journals or repositories. The Government should consider providing additional funds to these agencies to allow them to publish in open access journals that charge a fee for publication.

Recommendation 9:
That the Victorian Government encourage divisions operating in the fields of biological innovation and research, including biotechnology development, to consider participating in the BiOS licensing system.

Recommendation 10:
That the Victorian Government encourage departments to identify and publish materials under NEALS to allow these materials to be used freely for educational purposes by Australian schools.

Recommendation 11:
That the Victorian Government develop a consistent copyright licensing system for use across all government departments.

Recommendation 12:
That the Victorian Government establish a central office to develop a copyright licensing system, and provide advice to government on government copyright.

Recommendation 13:
That exclusive arrangements not be entered into for licensing Victorian Government public sector information, excepting exclusive rights necessary toprotect the public interest.

Recommendation 14:
That the Victorian Government adopt the Creative Commons licensing model as the default licensing system for the Information Management Framework.

Recommendation 15:
That the Victorian Government adopt a hybrid public sector information licensing model comprising Creative Commons and a tailored suite of licences for restricted materials.

Recommendation 16:
That the Victorian Government develop specific guidelines for the pricing of public sector information (PSI), emphasising the provision of PSI at no cost or marginal cost.

Recommendation 17:
That all information and data determined to form part of the Victorian Government's basic information product set, as defined by the Productivity Commission, be priced at no cost or marginal costs.

Recommendation 18:
That the Victorian Government reconsider with a view to minimising, if not stopping, the practice of departments charging each other to access and re-use Government-owned information and data.

Recommendation 19:
That the Victorian Government classify additional information products into three broad categories and price them as follows:

dissemination of existing products at no cost or marginal cost;
incremental products (which may involve additional data collection or compilation) at incremental (avoidable) cost; and
commercial (contestable) products according to competitive neutrality principles.

Recommendation 20:
That the Victorian Government enhance its role as an information provider as a means to improve social benefits and facilitate commercial activity in the private sector.

Recommendation 21:
That the Victorian Government require wherever possible that its information and data be stored in open standard formats.

Recommendation 22:
That the Victorian Government develop a policy position and guidelines on the use of open standards for presentation, storage and delivery of public sector information by public sector agencies.

Recommendation 23:
That the Victorian Government engage with the Australian National Data Service project regarding its potential application to public sector research.

Recommendation 24:
That where appropriate, the Victorian Government release its public sector information in both primary and secondary formats.

Recommendation 25:
That in future, and where possible, the Victorian Government develop and design databases in such a way as to facilitate the removal of identifying information if required.

Recommendation 26:
That the Victorian Government develop and implement a custodianship policy as a mechanism to manage its information and data.

Recommendation 27:
That the custodianship policy be based on the decentralised model where the management of information and data is retained in individual departments.

Recommendation 28:
That the Victorian Government develop custodianship guidelines to assist departments implement and maintain the custodianship policy.

Recommendation 29:
That the Victorian Government prospectively establish metadata records for most public sector information.

Recommendation 30:
That all Victorian Government departments implement the Australian Government Locater Service metadata standard.

Recommendation 31:
That the authoring of metadata be based on the decentralised model where data custodians retain responsibility for the establishment and ongoing management of metadata records.

Recommendation 32:
That the Victorian Government establish a data management position within each of its departments, which holds responsibility for management and quality assurance of departments' metadata records.

Recommendation 33:
That the Victorian Government amend the AGLS Victoria: Metadata implementation manual to accommodate requirements of the Information Management Framework.

Recommendation 34:
That the Victorian Government ensure that data custodians and data management officers are provided with adequate training to support the implementation of the Australian Government Locater Service metadata standard.

Recommendation 35:
That the Victorian Government develop a whole-of-government public sector information (PSI) directory, and that metadata for all new PSI created within the Victorian Government be prospectively added to the directory.

Recommendation 36:
That following development of the whole-of-government public sector information directory, and as resources allow, existing and historical documents and data held by the Victorian Government be added to the directory.

Recommendation 37:
That the Victorian Government establish a public sector information steering committee for the purpose of overseeing, guiding and implementing the Victorian Government Information Management Framework.

Recommendation 38:
That the steering committee be comprised of senior departmental staff; and that it be required to regularly report to the Minister responsible for the Information Management Framework on the framework's implementation.

Recommendation 39:
That the Victorian Government work with other jurisdictions towards national harmonisation in enhancing access to and re-use of PSI.

Recommendation 40:
That following implementation of the Victorian Government Information Management Framework, the potential benefits to the public, commerce and Victorian public service efficiency be widely promoted.

Recommendation 41:
That the Victorian Government, through the steering committee, establish a reporting mechanism for the Information Management Framework.

Recommendation 42:
That the Victorian Government require, as part of its whole-of-government ICT Procurement Policy, that software procured by the Government be capable of saving files in open standard formats, and that wherever possible, the software be configured to save in open standard formats by default.

Recommendation 43:
That the Victorian Government ensure when preparing guidance for procurement, ICT personnel should be equally aware of the strengths and weaknesses of both OSS and proprietary software.

Recommendation 44:
That the Victorian Government fully evaluate the Victorian Department of Justice open source software (OSS) workstation trial to assess the potential for wider use of OSS in Victorian public service workstations.

Recommendation 45:
That the Victorian Government examine its policy for ICT Procurement to ensure that it continues to assist the Victorian ICT industry.

Recommendation 46:
That the Victorian Government ensure where appropriate that tenders are neither licence specific nor have proprietary software-specific requirements; and meet the given objectives of Government.

A copy of the media release is available in pdf format (39kb). (This document requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader).

The final report is also available in pdf format from the Parliament of Victoria (842kb). (This document requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader).

You can also convert PDF documents into alternative formats.

Submissions to the inquiry are available, as well as public hearings and transcripts, the original discussion paper, and terms of reference.