Access to Public Sector Information
The Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD) has published the Victorian Governments response to the Victorian Parliaments Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee’s Inquiry into Improving Access to Victorian Public Sector Information and Data that was published in June 2009. The response was tabled in the Victorian Parliament on the 2nd February 2010.
The press release titled: Access to Public Sector Information - Summary of response to report findings states:
“Open access to PSI represents an important opportunity for the Victorian Government to increase its engagement with the community and to realise a range of social and economic benefits.
In responding to the report the Victorian Government has committed to improving access to PSI and to continue its current activities to ensure it is addressing the varied needs and interests across the community as articulated in this response. The Victorian Government supports the release of PSI for re-use with the expectation it will lead to increased commercial activity, provide primary data to researchers in a wide range of disciplines, and increase transparency of government in Victoria. The committee’s finding that that it is likely that Creative Commons licences could be appropriately applied to around 85 per cent of government PSI underscores the scale and significance of the task the Victorian Public Service has ahead of it. The reforms to the VPS that will need to take place to facilitate improved access to the data and information are likely to pose many challenges to government agencies. The committee acknowledges that Australia does not have a developed tradition of government disclosure of fundamental data, and that making PSI more freely available to the public will require efforts to change the way Victorian public servants regard PSI. These reforms will require much more than a change to process and procedures to be successful. It will require a fundamental shift in the attitude and thinking of Victoria’s public servants.
In responding to recommendations of the inquiry the Victorian Government has committed to open access as the default position for the management of PSI and will commence development of an IMF in 2010.
Opening up access to PSI will be a challenge but will have rewarding outcomes for government, industry, academia and the community more broadly. Other jurisdictions will also benefit, just as Victoria can benefit from access to PSI generated by other governments.”
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The 28 page response titled: Whole of Victorian Government Response to the Final Report of the Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee’s Inquiry into Improving Access to Victorian Public Sector Information and Data states (reference page 8 and 9):
“The Victorian Government endorses the committee’s overarching recommendation that the default position for the management of PSI should be open access. The Victorian Government further commits to the development of a whole-of-government Information Management Framework (IMF) whereby PSI is made available under Creative Commons licensing by default with a tailored suite of licences for restricted materials.
While the Victorian Government fully supports most of the recommendations in the committee’s report, 14 of the 46 recommendations have been given in-principle support reflecting the complexity of the identified issues. These issues will require further consideration in the development and implementation of an IMF.
In particular, the Victorian Government supports making PSI available at no cost or marginal cost but notes that this pricing structure may not be appropriate in all instances. The development of an IMF will include a thorough examination of the nature and costs of servicing current and foreseeable information demands.
Similarly, the committee interpreted PSI broadly as the information and data generated by the Victorian public sector. The IMF will need to clearly define the scope of PSI to be covered including consideration of cultural materials held by the Victorian Government and information preserved or held by government (such as in archives and public collections where the government may not be the copyright owner).
The first stage of the development of an IMF will include:
- specifying the scope of PSI to which the IMF applies;
- obtaining further legal advice about the release of PSI and use of appropriate licensing arrangements including use of Creative Commons licensing, where appropriate, as the default licence;
- identifying and categorising datasets created and maintained by the Victorian Government;
- developing a hybrid licensing system that uses Creative Commons as the default licence;
- developing pricing models with no cost/marginal cost as the default;
- defining and describing criteria under which access to PSI may be restricted, or released under licence; and
- developing governance and funding arrangements for the implementation of the IMF.
A Public Sector Information Inter-departmental Committee will oversee development of the IMF. A decision regarding the nominated agency to lead the first stage will be determined in early 2010.”
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