Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
DEPUTY LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE SENATE
Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
Joint media release
The Hon Lindsay Tanner MP
Minister for Finance and Deregulation
Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Rudd Government trial for e-democracy future
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, and Minister for Finance and Deregulation Lindsay Tanner, today announced a trial of online policy consultation.
Lindsay Tanner said: "These trials will inform future policy development in the area of online consultation and improve the processes for e-democracy in Australia."
Senator Conroy will today launch the first trial consultation, a blog canvassing the future of Australia's digital economy.
"The Rudd Government understands the potential of digital innovation and is proud to be trialling the use of these platforms to engage with the Australian public," Senator Conroy said.
"Given the enthusiastic uptake of online communications tools like blogging, it makes sense for Government to experiment with these new methods of engagement, particularly on a vital topic such as the future of our digital economy."
Independent research suggests that citizen and community engagement can make policy more practical and relevant. The online environment provides new opportunities for the Government to make this engagement.
Lindsay Tanner said: "Governments all over the world are experimenting and exploring Web 2.0 technologies. The potential for these technologies to facilitate and enhance direct and open exchanges between citizens and governments is immense, and the Rudd Government is eager to tap into this potential to advance democratic processes in Australia."
Government agencies and departments are already using some of these technologies and are engaging in online consultation. However, there is a need for a whole of government policy to be developed to ensure a consistent, cost effective and efficient approach to online consultation.
Lindsay Tanner said: "In response to our recent consultation about online citizen engagement we are launching a series of online consultations in a trial program. Each of the online consultations has a different citizen focus and the trials are intended to test issues around registration, participation, levels of engagement, the use of blogs and ideas forums and different levels of moderation."
The trials will be conducted by agencies and monitored and evaluated by the Australian Government Information Management Office, which will report to the Government on the outcomes of the consultations and the effectiveness of draft online consultation guidance.
The Digital Economy Blog can be found at: www.dbcde.gov.au/digitaleconomyblog.
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Date: 9 December 2008
Contacts: Nardia Dazkiw (Lindsay Tanner's Office) 0418 144 690
Tim Marshall (Senator Conroy's Office) 0408 258 457