[LINK] Principles on open public sector information released

[Tom Koltai]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au 
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Tom Worthington
> Sent: Wednesday, 25 May 2011 11:32 AM
> To: Link list
> Subject: [LINK] Principles on open public sector information released
> 
> 
> Greetings from the Meta 2011 Conference at ANU University House in 
> Canberra, where Professor John McMillan, the Australian Information 
> Commissioner, launched the new "Principles on open public sector 
> information": 
> <http://www.oaic.gov.au/publications/agency_resources/principl
> es_on_psi_short.html>.
> 
> Along with the principles is a "Report on review and development of 
> principles": 
> <http://www.oaic.gov.au/publications/reports/Principles_open_p
> ublic_sector_info_report_may2011.html>.
> 
> It is good to see that the commission released the documents 
> in the form 
> of simple and easy to read HTML files, as well as PDF and 
> RTF. They also 
> put the HTML version first, which will be most useful.: 
> <http://www.oaic.gov.au/infopolicy-portal/reports_infopolicy.html>.
> 

<SNIP>

Excellent. It would appear that the Government is actually becoming the
peoples Government.

Well, apart from Principle 7.
There have been recent events where agency costs have been quoted in the
hundreds of thousands of dollars for what should essentially be a PDF
print and email exercise.

Therefore the inclusion of principle 7, (in it's current format)
unfortunately, would appear to be the final barrier between open
Government and transparent open Government. 

As all Public Service wages are paid for by the Public, charging for
Government data that does not require the provision of any service apart
from "print pdf and forward" should be discontinued.

> Principle 7: Appropriate charging for access
> 
>      The FOI Act requires agencies to facilitate public access to 
> information at the lowest reasonable cost. This principle 
> applies when 
> information is provided upon request or is published by an 
> agency. Other 
> Acts also authorise charges for specific documents or 
> information access.
> 
>      Agencies can reduce the cost of public access by publishing 
> information online, especially information that is routinely 
> sought by 
> the public. Charges that may be imposed by an agency for providing 
> access should be clearly explained in an agency policy that 
> is published 
> and regularly reviewed.
> 
/body