Posts Tagged: australia

All those who stand and wait

On 21 May 2009, APSC Commissioner, Lynelle Briggs gave a speech to the John Curtin Institute of Public Policy. Entitled All those who stand and wait—putting citizens at the centre, the speech raises some vitally important issues on open government and engagement with the public. I’d like to recommend you read the speech in full.Read… Read more »

New book – What every intranet team should know

Republished from eGovAU. Step Two Designs has released the book, What every team should know written by James Robertson. The book is designed as a ‘quick start’ for intranet teams and provides practical advice on how to plan, design, manage and grow intranets. Combining over 13 years experience in intranets and building on the freeRead… Read more »

Public Sphere Camp

At the recent BarCamp Canberra 2, there was some discussion about the US Government 2.0 Camp. “We should do one ourselves,” seemed the general consensus, so we decided to make it happen. In the meantime, technology and Open Government savvy ACT Senator, Kate Lundy began her Public Sphere events. A number of the people interestedRead… Read more »

Australian internet usage 20% greater than TV – Nielsen

Republished from eGovAU. I’ve just come across a media release from Nielsen (PDF) from March this year indicating that internet use by Australian internet users reached 16.1 hours per week in 2008, soaring ahead of TV at 12.9 viewing hours per week (radio sits at 8.8 hours). This suggests that the average Australian internet userRead… Read more »

Public engagement. Public empowerment.

My keynote from GOVIS 2009 – User Centred Government: More than meets the eye. Public engagement. Public empowerment. View more presentations from Stephen Collins. The GOVIS tag line is “Connect. Share. Learn.” So my first question is where is the conference wifi network for all of us to connect? It’s a must have for everyRead… Read more »

What does ‘transparent’ mean for government?

Republished from eGovAU. eGovernment, or government 2.0, is often discussed as a means to create greater transparency in government. However has there been a clear definition of what transparency really means for government in Australia? At the furthest extreme transparency would be like living in a glass house with glass furniture – everyone could seeRead… Read more »

Do you plan your online strategy in the same way you plan your media strategy?

Republished from eGovAU. Typically government and commercial media teams spend time identifying publications and journalists that have the most appropriate audiences for an organisation’s products and services. They commit energy to building constructive relationships with those that have influence over the members of the public they are trying to engage, tailoring stories to suit theirRead… Read more »

Can we use crowdsourcing to reshape democracy?

Republished from eGovAU. Beth Noveck, director of President Obama’s open government initiative, said in a recent essay, Our institutions of governance are characterized by a longstanding culture of professionalism in which bureaucrats – not citizens – are the experts. Until recently, we have viewed this arrangement as legitimate because we have not practically been ableRead… Read more »

Do you walk the talk?

Republished from eGovAU. I have been having a few conversations over the last two days with a variety of web managers regarding the level of commitment by their organisations to their online channel. The response has been mixed. Some have a great deal of support and resourcing, others have interest but no resourcing and othersRead… Read more »

Digital etiquette – are government agencies adequately prepared to engage appropriately online?

Republished from eGovAU. Etiquette is important in every form of social engagement. When Australians meet others for the first time we exchange names, shake hands and make light conversation before getting down to the main topic of conversation. Other cultures have different social etiquette. Many hug or kiss cheeks on first meeting, exchange business cardsRead… Read more »