GovScape is a new type of public-purpose knowledge start-up.

The GovScape social knowledge initiative is being built in alliance with successful programs like Gov20 Radio and GovCamp together with over five years of journey by the X360 team and their public innovation networks.

Its thematic focus will be on:

• Public sphere momentum
• Public-purpose innovation
• Public sector transformation

Shaping the collective journey

Most importantly, the most ambitious part of GovScape is the aspect that everyone can also make happen: participation.

GovScape is about mobilising and amplifying what we call ’social knowledge’… living, dynamic intelligence learned and shared through the collective experience of public sphere thought leaders and practitioners. It’s something we’re all part of whenever we meet up with others at events, share ideas online or write long-form papers.

GovScape is about taking a more mindful, strategic and collaborative approach to such open, social knowledge sharing.

It will support policy-makers and public service practitioners in:

• communicating their priorities and learnings in fresh, engaging ways
• more easily contributing to as well as consuming collective knowledge
• leveraging the ’public value’ of their work through accessing case studies of best practice as well as emergent practice

GovScape programs will be exploring themes such as:

• What are the current TRIGGERS for public sector innovation  – and what perhaps should be?
• Where are TYPES of public sector innovation happening – and where should they?
• How do we VALUE public sector innovation – and how should we?

While a preliminary analysis of this exercise shows some useful trends within individual cities as well as across the country, we see value in extending this social knowledge process into a deeper understanding of the dynamic ecosystem that exists within this landscape.

So, we’re kicking off a national, open initiative to comprehensively map the public sector innovation ecosystem. The initiative will be supported by a national advisory team including the Australian Innovation Research Centre and the Behavioural Insights Group, and offers an opportunity for public sector practitioners to take part in an ‘action research’ program with practical, tangible value to their day-to-day work.

Interested in being part of the team? Let us know soon – we’ll be starting to scope the program in the countdown to the national GovCamp LiVE event at the end of November.

Listen to a live GovCampus recording to celebrate the first anniversary of the re-booted data.gov.au portal.  Hosted by John Wells, the podcast conversation features (pictured below from left-to-right):

• John Sheridan, Australian Government Chief Technology Officer
• Pia Waugh, Director Coordination and Gov 2.0, Australian Government Department of Finance

During the podcast recording John and Pia were joined remotely by international special guests:

• Prof Sir Nigel Shadbolt, co-founder Open Data Institute, UK
• Jacques Mailloux, CIO, Elections Canada / #OGT14 Ottawa champion
• Richard Pietro, host, Open Government Tour 2014 (#OGT14), Canada

This event was recorded in front of a live audience as part of Australia’s national Innovation Month in 2014 convened by the Canberra-based Public Sector Innovation Network.

About the Australian Government’s data.gov.au portal

Data.gov.au provides an easy way to find, access and reuse public datasets from Government. The main purpose of the site is to encourage public access to and reuse of government data by providing it in useful formats under open licences. It was created following the Government’s Declaration of Open Government and response to the Government 2.0 Taskforce Report.

The purpose of this online service is to encourage public access to and reuse of government data by providing it in useful formats and under open licences.

data.gov.au was originally launched in 2010. In subsequent years open data technologies matured rapidly leading to a relaunched in 2013 using best of breed technologies and techniques adapted from data.gov.uk and around the world. The new platform (CKAN) has proven to be extremely flexible, scalable, extendable, easy for data custodians to publish data and easy for the community to discover, reuse and visualise government data. More on the state of open data in Australia can be found at http://data.gov.au

On 2 July, Richard Pietro will start an epic journey of 20,000 kms, riding a motorcycle across Canada to start a series of city conversations about Open Government.

We’re excited to be a social communication partner for the Open Government Tour 2014.  In the countdown to Richard’s departure, and throughout his journey, we’ll be producing a special series of interviews with Canadian leaders and practitioners of open government, as well as local city event organizers from across Canada.

Check out the Open Government Tour 2014

Privacy complaints and enquiries are on the rise.  We talk with Timothy Pilgrim, Australian Privacy Commissioner in the countdown to the international Privacy Awareness Week (PAW) 2014.

Australian survey results suggest that 60% of people have chosen not to deal with an organisation because they were concerned about their privacy.  Australia commenced new privacy reforms on 12 March 2014 requiring organisations to be more transparent about their information handling practices. This means organisations have to include more information in their privacy policies.  But do consumers know what to look for in corporate privacy policies?

PAW is an initiative of the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities Forum (APPA) and participating Pacific Rim nations circle from South through North America, through Asia to Australia.

About Timothy Pilgrim

Timothy was appointed as Privacy Commissioner in 2010 after holding a number of senior management positions in a range of Australian Government agencies, including the Small Business Program within the Australian Taxation Office and the Child Support Agency.

Timothy has also played an important role in the implementation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Privacy Framework, which aims to promote a consistent approach to information privacy protection across APEC member economies. Timothy has also been closely involved in developing a framework for privacy regulators around the world to cooperate on cross-border enforcement matters.

How you can use this episode

Listen to the episode

Episode links and resources

• Privacy Awareness Week
• Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities forum (APPA)
• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) Privacy Awareness Week
• Privacy Awareness Week Australian partners
• Privacy reforms (from 12 March 2014):
  • What the new reforms mean for business and government.
  • Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
• A sampler of OAIC privacy resources
  • What to look for in a privacy policy poster
  • Privacy fact sheet 24: How changes to privacy law affect you
  • A quick summary of what is covered by privacy and who is covered by privacy laws
  • Summary of key findings in the OAIC survey report (+animated infographic)
  • OAIC quarterly statistics updates
  • OAIC Community attitudes to privacy survey  (including a summary of key findings)

60-second snapshot

Tips for consumers, government and business about privacy: