[@OKFNau] Examples of Use of Commercial Government Data

Mon Mar 16 00:29:56 UTC 2015

Interesting comments. As open data advocates, I think it is really important that we can quantify the economic and social benefits following the use of open data. Whether we are in government, working with government or see ourselves as representing the citizen (and I don't see those as mutually exclusive by any means), we ought to be able to point to the benefits of what we have done or what we intend to do. If we have no evidence to support our actions then it is hard for other people to understand our motivations. 
Given that transparency and open disclosure is such an obvious public good, it should be part of the evaluation. I'm not talking about how many data sets are open for example but how a data set has been used and what are the existing or potential benefits of putting it to use. 
Opening the federal budget data has opened channels for feeding back into government how to improve accountability of government spending. This involves input into the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit on improving the specification for agency Annual Reports (for purposes of obtaining 'actuals' data as this is not reported elsewhere) and also improving the specification for the Public Management Reform Agenda to require agencies to report grants funding data in a manner consistent with the Portfolio Budget Statements as is required for BudgetAus http://infoaus.net/budget/index.php 
These are highly significant improvements in budget transparency and unless the value of them can be made clear to the community there is potential for the momentum to be lost as the people pushing them forward may end up doing other things (where the value is clearer to more people). So unless we can value our work then it is hard to see how it can exist and continue.
I think grants funding data (now the focus of BudgetAus) will become more in demand as the data provided by government improves (there are currently some issues). Indigenous Advancement Strategy grant applicants are particularly interested in it given the sweeping changes to the handling of Indigenous Affairs with the change of government. I am looking forward to seeing what comes out of this interest (sparked only last week).
In case it was missed, Malcolm Turnbull had some very interesting comments on the value of Open Data in a recent speech. http://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/media/speech-to-the-locate-15-conference-the-power-of-open-data
Rosie Williams BA (Sociology)________________________________________

 NoFibs.com.au - Open Data Reporter InfoAus.net - Founder and Developer 

Date: Sun, 15 Mar 2015 23:16:23 +1100
From: steven.decosta at linkdigital.com.au
To: okfn-au at lists.okfn.org
Subject: Re: [@OKFNau] Examples of Use of Commercial Government Data

Hi Mike,
I'm delivering a talk on this subject in Kiev tomorrow. I'm with Lachlan on this subject but understand why government need 'proof of life' when being held to ransom over the future of community engagement.
There is no stress giving them such proof but they do need to understand they are not the seat of power in the negotiation. The demand to open government is real, reasonable and full disclosure inevitable.
Economics, technology and modern social networks are all putting pressure on the status quo.
Despite all that, I'm sure there is a mature ODI survey of results. The link is in my Twitter history some time in the last two weeks... I think...
I'll try and find it while I have free airport wifi ;)
Rock on!

On Tuesday, March 10, 2015, Mike Ebinum <mike at seeddigital.co> wrote:
Hey guys,
Long time reader, first time writer. I recently had a chat with a government official and we were talking government data and all the benefits. The official said that they seem to be hearing a lot about all the benefits but don't have access to practical examples of how releasing government data has benefited different departments. Examples that they could use to as references to help persuade different people to get involved. I mentioned transportation data examples but they have a lot of those examples. 
I was wondering if people on this list could help me out with examples, case studies and positive references to where releasing government data has helped the greater community either by reducing spend, resulted in commercial outcomes or help deliver better services.
I've create a spreadsheet that you can add these too or just reply to this mail.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers
                         Mike Ebinum / Director of Technology 
mike at seeddigital.co / +61-431 209 069SEED Digital 
+61-03 8680 2352 
713 Brunswick Street North,
North Fitzroy,
VIC 3068,
Australia 
http://seeddigital.co  

-- 
STEVEN DE COSTA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
www.linkdigital.com.au

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