The New South Wales Government has released a memorandum advising Ministers of the Government’s commitment to a new era of open government, with online communications forming the cornerstone of the reform.

 

The three key Open Government initiatives outlined by the State Government are:

  • Implementing a whole of government policy that supports the use of social media for enhanced public engagement and service delivery
  • Expanding and promoting Publications NSW as the default and easily searchable repository for published Government information
  • Developing best practice guidelines for the design of government websites, and applications for smartphones and tablets to make government information available in a way that suits the customer.

 

The State Government has outlined four major open government principles, with transparency, participation, collaboration and innovation.

 

To achieve this, the State Government has announced it will enhance:

  • Online access to government services to make them available anywhere, anytime
  • Online communications, including social networks, for internal and public dialogue
  • Online mechanisms for community and industry collaboration on innovative solutions

 

The release of the memorandum comes after the State Government released its ICT Strategy 2012 in May, outlining the actions required to significantly boost the state’s ICT sector.