Governing the City State - Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate ...

invested in ICT for the Territory’s community – streamlining access to services throughCanberra Connect, becoming a foundation member of the ICT Research Lab at National ICTAustralia (NICTA) 141 and utilisation of Web 2.0 to engage with the Canberra community onthe future development of the city.The accessibility of information held by government and the networks facilitated by the webcan be seen as a key driver of the shift in how the public service does it business. It can alsoact as an inspiration to new ways of working. By harnessing the collaborative and innovativenature of the web, the ACTPS can provide innovative solutions to policy problems, andenhance the ability to measure performance and be accountable to elected representatives andthe community.The Commonwealth Government has recently reformed the Freedom of Information Act1982 (Cwlth) 142 including introducing fundamental changes to the way information held bygovernment is managed and accessed by members of the public. Importantly, those reformsincluded codification of a pro-disclosure culture, including the following objects:• give the Australian community access to information by requiring agencies to publish theinformation, and provide a right of access;• contribute to increased participation in government processes and increased scrutiny,discussion and review of government activities;• increase recognition that information held by government is a national resource; and• promote public access to information, promptly and at the lowest reasonable cost. 143The ACT’s Freedom of Information Act 1989 144 (the FOI Act) draws heavily on itsCommonwealth equivalent, and in its Submission to the Inquiry by the Legislative AssemblyStanding Committee on Justice and Community Safety into Reform of the FOI Act, theGovernment noted it seeks to maintain consistency with the Commonwealth Act “whereappropriate and practical in the context of ACT Governance.” 145 It is critical that the ACTPSkeeps pace with the possibilities and community expectations created by the rapid rate oftechnological change. The Review recommends the Government move to adopt a moreproactive model of release of information held by the ACTPS (along the lines of theCommonwealth’s scheme) to support broader policy debate in the community, subject toappropriate and necessary restrictions, including in relation to Executive Privilege, security,and personal privacy.The draft ACT Government ICT Strategic Plan currently under development outlinesmechanisms to improve the economic, social and environmental welfare of the Canberra141 ACT Government supports NICTA through a mixture of cash, payroll tax concessions and other property relatedassistance. In September 2009 NICTA and the ACT Government launched a Government technology cluster tosupport and strengthen Government ICT industries in Australia. The ACT Government provided $150,000 to helpestablish the cluster in 2009-10 and committed to a further $100,000 per annum through to 2011-12.142 See http://www.comlaw.gov.au143 Commonwealth Government (2010b). What’s Changed in FOI http://www.oaic.gov.au/foi/what.html#pro_disclosure_culture144 see http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/alt_a1989-46co/default.asp145 ACT Government (2010d) ACT Government Submission to the Standing Committee on Justice and Community SafetyInquiry into the Freedom of Information Act 1989 Canberra. p.6.Governing the City State: 91