1. This week 10 years ago, the Australian Information Commissioner, Professor John McMillan released a set of principles for information management across the Australian Public Service.
He said the Principles on Open Public Sector Information set out the central values of open public sector information that it be “freely available, easily discoverable, understandable, machine-readable and reusable”.
“There is now greater recognition that government information is a national resource that should be published for community access and use,” Professor McMillan said.
2. Also this week the federal Parliamentary Library completed the digitisation of Parliament’s Hansard transcript, allowing the record to be searched by word or speaker all the way back to 1901.
Until mid-2010 the Commonwealh Hansard had been available online only from 1981. Between 2009 and 2011, more than 600,000 pages (from 1901 to 1980) were digitised and made available online for full searching.
The Department of Parliamentary Services funded the project to ensure all Senate and House of Representatives Hansards were available online to the public.
3. This was also the week a new research database linking Queensland Health researchers with prospective participants was announced. Executive Director of the Queensland Health Office of Health and Medical Research, Professor Robin Mortimer said the online Database of Research Activity (DoRA) was the first of its kind in the Australian public health system.
Professor Mortimer said the database would create a central catalogue of research activity taking place across the State and allow consumers to find out the latest medical treatments being trialled.
He said it would also enable researchers in rural and remote areas to connect immediately with fellow researchers in metropolitan areas.
4. Also this week, the Federal Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency issued a series of maps identifying the potential future impacts of sea level rise on the Adelaide region.
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet said the maps had been developed in partnership with the Co-operative Research Centre for Spatial Information to help communities prepare for the impacts of rising sea levels. The maps illustrated the type of event that could be expected to occur at least once a year and possibly more frequently, by 2100.
“These maps show that Adelaide, like other coastal communities around Australia, is vulnerable to rising sea levels with impacts like erosion, sea inundation and flooding,” Mr Combet said.
5. The WA Government this week 10 years ago rejected a proposal to introduce a “licence to drink” card, with the Minister for Racing and Gaming, Terry Waldron saying it was “inappropriate at present”.
Mr Waldron said one reason for rejecting the idea was that it did not target problem drinkers per se, only those who had been convicted of an alcohol-related crime.
Mr Waldron said providing all members of the community with scannable photo ID, as well as purchasing the required database and scanning equipment, would be problematic and costly. “However, this is not to say that the circumstances won’t change in the future,” he said.
6. Also 10 years ago this week, the Commonwealth Minister for Sustainability, Population and Communities, Tony Burke released Australia’s first-ever sustainable population strategy.
The Sustainable Australia — Sustainable Communities plan outlined key directions to help ensure future population change supported the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of the nation.
Mr Burke said the Strategy’s focus was on population change rather than setting targets, driving growth to regional areas by attracting skilled workers and building more houses, and alleviating pressures on outer suburbs of major cities.
“A locally targeted approach to addressing population growth and change is needed,” Mr Burke said.
