Australian Open Government

Australian Open Government Partnership Civil Society Network

News and notes

Partners wanted to work on the Partnership

19th August 2016 – Uncategorised

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has called for expressions of interest to join an Interim Working Group to help co-draft Australia’s National Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership (OGP). The call follows the announcement last week that after a hiatus of several months the government is “eager to continue working together to…

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Australia’s National Action Plan – ‘genuine partnership’ the way forward

10th August 2016 – Uncategorised

In response to the invitation from Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to make suggestions about consultation and engagement on the national action plan: “The Australian Open Government Partnership Network welcomes the statement issued on 4 August that the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet will be seeking to further engage with the public, civil…

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Positive news: Canberra breaks long public silence since April

4th August 2016 – Uncategorised

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet yesterday posted the statement below on the Wiki, the first public announcement since April on preparation of Australia’s OGP national action plan. Several points the Steering Committee has made to government on behalf of the Network in recent months- the need for more time, more scope, more ambition- are…

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Election 2016 and the OGP: the major parties speak, but is the Coalition listening?

30th June 2016 – Uncategorised

Labor and the Coalition have responded to Transparency International Australia on its Open Letter to Political Parties and candidates contesting the 2016 Federal Election. The Greens and NXT did not send a response, but in those links are on the public record to some extent regarding the issues raised by TIA. TIA rates Labor’s response…

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Open letter to incoming government on steps to complete OGP national action plan

22nd June 2016 – Uncategorised

Prompt action needed to broaden the dialogue and establish multi stakeholder partnership arrangement On 17 May  the Chair of the Australian Open Government Partnership Network Steering Committee, Dr David Solomon wrote to the Prime Minister about the Open Government Partnership urging the government to advise the Co-chairs of the international OGP Steering Committee that the…

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Transparency International Australia:Election 2016 Open Letter to the Candidates

10th June 2016 – News

Network member TI Australia has written to the parties and independent candidates seeking a pre-election response to questions about five urgent transparency and anti-corruption priorities: Political Financing. Federal Integrity System. Private Sector Transparency, Integrity and Accountability. Whistleblower Legislation. Open Government Partnership. We’ll keep you posted on the results. Feel free to raise these and related …

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Towards an Open Government Manifesto

9th June 2016 – Information, Points of View

Introduction Open government is the simple but powerful idea that governments and institutions work better for citizens when they are transparent, engaging and accountable. The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is an international initiative, bringing together over 65 countries, which aims to create a ‘race to the top’ in open government. Participating countries produce National Action Plans every…

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Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet confirms OGP work shelved until after election

7th June 2016 – News

A copy of David Solomon’s message to the Prime Minister about next steps regarding the National Action Plan was sent to the Department as well, prompting this reply from Deputy Secretary Steven Kennedy. Dear Mr Timmins,   Thank you for your email, dated 17 May 2016, requesting that Mr David Solomon’s letter to the Prime…

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Opportunity knocks to take time to agree on “a more extensive and inclusive co-creation process”

6th June 2016 – Uncategorised

The Chair of the Network Dr David Solomon wrote to the Prime Minister two weeks ago urging that extra time be taken to develop the required national action plan beyond the due date because of the caretaker period, the election, and the opportunity this would provide to do better than we have so far to…

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Australia’s OGP ambition shouldn’t be sidelined during election campaign

30th May 2016 – News

There has been no response to date to the message to the Prime Minister from Network Chair Dr David Solomon urging the government to take extra time beyond the 1 July target date to formulate and submit a national action plan. And no announcement or communication from the government since early April regarding possible commitments to…

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