Australian Open Government

Australian Open Government Partnership Civil Society Network

News and notes

Draft Action Plan: Whistleblower Protections-What you had to say

23rd November 2016 – Uncategorised

The published submissions on the Draft National Action Plan for Consultation: Draft Commitment 1.1 Improve whistle-blower protections in the tax and corporate sectors   ( This commitment covers a moving target- the government in the early hours of yesterday morning agreed to act on broader whistleblower protections – action advocated in submissions on this draft commitment.…

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Public Consultation on Draft Action Plan: The key message-stronger, bolder, clearer

23rd November 2016 – Uncategorised

Overall the 63 published submissions lodged in response to the Draft Action Plan released for public comment on 31 October are positive in support of the breadth and scope of the draft commitments. Some submissions are critical of the process particularly the public engagement and consultation stages. Some propose new commitments that at this late…

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Network Steering Committee full of suggestions for improving Draft National Action Plan

16th November 2016 – News, Points of View

Submission to Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from the Steering Committee of the Australian Open Government Partnership Network. The submission may be published online. The Steering Committee welcomes the publication of the draft National Action Plan and the opportunity to suggest areas for improvement.Network members were encouraged to make their views known and a…

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Paris Summit an opportunity for collective action

15th November 2016 – News

There is no shortage of ideas and suggestions for inclusion in Australia’s first national action plan. News now that the OGP Steering Committee and Support Unit are encouraging governments and civil society organisations to sign up to collective actions that will further the open government agenda in their countries and around the world. The Global…

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Draft national Action Plan-hear more, have a say!

3rd November 2016 – Uncategorised

Still time to get to information sessions on the draft plan in Sydney and Perth tomorrow (Friday) and Canberra on Monday-details below. The event being held in Brisbane tonight (5.30-7.30) in conjunction with the OGP public information session, Extracting strategic advantage from public data sources, will be live streamed. The link is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/UMFy6MV6PhJ Please RSVP…

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Draft National Action Plan: your chance to hear,discuss, question, suggest

1st November 2016 – Uncategorised

Please take advantage of the opportunity…. Public information sessions on the draft plan released by Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet yesterday will be hosted jointly by government and civil society representatives at selected locations around the country over the next week. The focus is on the details of the proposed commitments in the Plan…

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Help improve OGP’s co-creation guidelines!

24th October 2016 – Uncategorised

 From the international OGP Support Unit: Deadline: 7th November 2016 At the heart of the Open Government Partnership is collaboration between government and civil society.  This is reflected in the membership of the OGP’s Steering Committee and the requirement that country National Action Plans are developed in partnership between government and civil society. In February,…

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New Zealand publishes Second National Action Plan

21st October 2016 – News

From  State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes “This National Action Plan builds on our first plan and takes into account the feedback we received from civil society and the OGP independent review mechanism. It represents a real step forward for transparency and openness and challenges government to keep doing more. We will continue to learn and…

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Australia’s OGP Plan now scheduled for completion by end of 2016.

18th October 2016 – News

 Deputy Secretary of Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C), Dr Steven Kennedy has written to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Support Unit advising that Australia will submit its national action plan before the end of 2016. A previously published timeline indicated a draft plan would be available for public discussion and comment in late September/early October…

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Sustainable Development Goals:”Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms..”

11th October 2016 – Information, Uncategorised

From Toby Mendel, chair of the Steering Committee for FOI Advocates Network, a consortium of activists to which I and others in Australia belong: “As many of you know, the (Sustainable Development Goals) SDGs have been adopted and SDG Target 16.10 is as follows: “Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with…

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