Delivering Government Information and Services Online
The Australian Government Online Service Point (AGOSP)
Finance’s 2007-08 Annual Report outlined the AGOSP program, which is enhancing the ‘australia.gov.au’ website. The program is adding new functions that include a customer account, advanced online forms, geospatial services, and improved search functions that cover state and local government websites.
On 6 March 2009, Finance released the first phase of the AGOSP program. This included a new look for ‘australia.gov.au’ and an additional classification of government websites by significant life events such as starting a family, caring for others, and death and bereavement. The release also included improved browsing and search facilities, with searches spanning over 800 local, state and federal government websites and 2.5 million pages of data and information.
Interacting with Government Online
During 2008-09, Finance conducted the fourth annual survey of Australians’ use of and satisfaction with e-government services. The Minister for Finance and Deregulation released the survey report, Interacting with Government, on 19 December 2008. The survey found that Australians continued to increase their use of e-government services at federal, state and local levels. Of the respondents to the survey, 63 per cent reported that they interacted with government using the internet, compared with 59 per cent in 2007. The survey also found that 33 per cent of respondents now use the internet for all or most of their contact with government – double the rate reported in the 2004-05 survey. Finally, the survey found that the internet is now the most common way people last made contact with government.
Consulting with Government Online
On 22 June 2009, the government established the Government 2.0 Taskforce. The taskforce will advise the government on the role of Web 2.0 technologies, which include interactive web services that allow for collaboration, two-way communication and social networking, with government. The taskforce aims to promote a culture of innovation within the Australian Government, leading to greater information sharing and collaboration between agencies, and between the Australian Government and the public. It will consider ways that the government can make better use of the internet to deliver improved information and services to citizens. The taskforce will explore any structural barriers that might be preventing open government and develop policies to promote greater access to information.
The taskforce includes members from both the public and private sectors. The Australian Government Chief Information Officer is the Deputy Chair of the Taskforce and Finance provides secretariat support. Several agencies have seconded staff to the taskforce secretariat.
The e-Government Forum, Expo and Excellence in e-Government Award
As in previous years, Finance coordinated the annual e-Government Forum and the Australian Government Pavilion at the e-Government Expo that formed part of CeBIT 2009 (Australia’s largest ICT trade fair), held in Sydney from 12 to 14 May 2009. The forum discussed the government’s ICT reform agenda, the impact of the internet on government consultation and service delivery, and other opportunities that new and emerging technologies may bring. The e-Government Expo provided an opportunity for Australian Government agencies to showcase their excellence in ICT to the broader ICT community. Over 30,000 visitors attend CeBIT each year.
Finance also organised the 2009 Excellence in e-Government Award to coincide with CeBIT 2009. The award aims to promote excellence in the use of ICT across all spheres of government in Australia. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship won the 2009 award for their Visa Wizard and Citizenship Wizard projects.