News 21st July 2017

New leadership to take Australia forward on open government journey

by Peter Timmins

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet this afternoon announced the membership of the Open Government Forum (Commitment 5.1). 
 
Congratulations and best wishes to the new group as they lead on the open government journey.
 

Civil Society members are:

  • Ms Fiona McLeod SC, President, Law Council of Australia (Co-Chair) (continuing, having been a member of the Interim Working Group established in August 2016)
  • Mr James Christian, CEO, NSW Aboriginal Land Council.
  • The Hon. Dr Ken Coghill, Deputy Chair and Treasurer, Accountability Round Table (continuing)
  • Mr James Horton, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Datanomics Pty Ltd
  • Ms Emily Howie, Director of Legal Advocacy, Human Rights Law Centre
  • Ms Serena Lillywhite, Chief Executive Officer, Transparency International Australia
  • Ms Katherine Szuminska, Co-Founder and Director, OpenAustralia Foundation (continuing)
  • Mr Mark Zirnsak, Director, Social Justice Unit, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Uniting Church in Australia (continuing).
Ken, James, Kat and Mark are members of this network steering committee. Serena and TI Australia are strong network participants and supporters.
Brief bios are published here
Government representatives, all very senior officers, include new representatives from the Digital Transformation Agency, Treasury and Industry Innovation and Science.
  • Dr Steven Kennedy PSM, Deputy Secretary, Prime Minister and Cabinet (Co-Chair)
  • Mr Peter Alexander, Chief Digital Officer, Digital Transformation Agency
  • Mr Iain Anderson, Deputy Secretary, Attorney-General’s Department
  • Ms Diane Brown, Deputy Secretary, The Treasury
  • Mr David Hazlehurst, Deputy Secretary, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
  • Dr Stein Helgeby, Deputy Secretary, Department of Finance
  • Ms Anne Lyons, Assistant Director-General, National Archives of Australia
  • Mr Timothy Pilgrim PSM, Australian Information Commissioner and Australian Privacy Commissioner

The NSW Information Commissioner, Ms Elizabeth Tydd will also be a non-voting jurisdictional member, reflecting the Commonwealth’s desire to build stronger relationships with the states on open government matters.

The inaugural meeting of the Forum/final meeting of the interim group, intended as a handover, retrospective and planning meeting, will take place in Canberra on Friday 28 July.