DFS-C2013-01-OpenGov NSW
To provide information about OpenGov NSW; a searchable online repository for information published by NSW Government agencies.
Issued: 9 April 2013 by Department of Finance, Services and Innovation
This AR is archived and has been replaced by the following document(s)
Key information
- Status
- Archived
- Type
- Department of Finance, Services and Innovation Circular
- Identifier
- DFS C2013-01
- Compliance
- Mandatory
Who needs to know and/or comply with this?
- Departments
- Executive agencies related to Departments
- Advisory Entities (including Boards and Committees)
- Separate agencies
About
To provide information about OpenGov NSW; a searchable online repository for information published by NSW Government agencies.
- The Publications NSW website, rebranded as OpenGov NSW: www.opengov.nsw.gov.au, has been relaunched and is ready for agency use.
- OpenGov will help agencies meet their obligations under the Government Information Public Access Act (GIPPA) and under the Premier’s memoranda on open government and annual reports.
- Agencies must upload 2012-13 and subsequent annual reports to OpenGov NSW as soon as they are tabled in Parliament.
- Agencies are encourages to use the site to upload information released under GIPAA.
- State Records NSW provides instructions on how to use OpenGov NSW.
A key goal of NSW 2021 is to restore accountability to government, including by making more government information easily available. One of the ways the Government is achieving this aim is with the relaunch of the Publications NSW website, rebranded as OpenGov NSW: www.opengov.nsw.gov.au
OpenGov NSW is a searchable online repository for information published by NSW Government agencies, including annual reports and open access information released under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPAA Act).
OpenGov NSW provides a simple and easily accessible portal to published information on government services, policies and programs – both contemporary and historical. It complements the Government’s open data initiative (data.nsw.gov.au), and information services provided by State Records NSW, the State Library of NSW and other government agencies. OpenGov NSW plays an important role in making it easier for NSW citizens to interact with government, as committed to in the NSW Government ICT Strategy.
By uploading annual reports and GIPAA open access documents to OpenGov NSW, agencies can focus website content on core services and business priorities. Recent Premier’s Memoranda (M2012-10 Open Government, M2012-11 Production Costs of Annual Reports) require agencies to report on their plans to use OpenGov NSW and to prioritise the electronic distribution of annual reports.
Premier’s memoranda have emphasised the importance of using OpenGov NSW and reinforced the emphasis on electronic distribution of annual reports. Agencies will also be relieved of the burden of maintaining older information on their own websites into the future.
Agencies should upload their open access information to OpenGov NSW on an ongoing basis, and can also upload other, historical publications such as previous annual reports. Instructions for using the site are provided as an attachment to this circular.
Content in the OpenGov NSW site will be preserved permanently by State Records NSW, using digital preservation technologies.
Directions
Agencies must upload the 2012-13 and subsequent annual reports to OpenGov NSW once they are tabled in Parliament.
Agencies are encouraged to upload open access information to OpenGov NSW on an ongoing basis, and can also consider uploading other publications such as older annual reports. A single page set of instructions for using the site is provided as an attachment to this Circular.
Agencies can provide a link on their own website to their annual report on OpenGov NSW, as permitted under the Annual Reports (Departments) Regulation 2010, Clause 13.
Michael Coutts-Trotter
Director-General