74/2009
2 November 2009
Some of Australia’s best exponents of online data mashups have spent a weekend in Canberra exploring innovative ways to utilise public sector information.
The Govhack event, conducted in support of the Government 2.0 Taskforce’s MashupAustralia contest, brought together web designers and developers with government data providers to investigate possibilities for reusing public sector information in new applications.
Minister for Finance and Deregulation Lindsay Tanner said the event was an Australian first and demonstrated the innovative approach the Government 2.0 Taskforce was taking.
“The Government 2.0 Taskforce has been tasked with identifying how we can make public sector information more accessible and usable. Events such as Govhack allow us to explore the possibilities and help identify barriers to open access.”
More than 150 participants gathered at the Australian National University on October 30 and 31 to discuss and develop working examples of public sector information mashups.
Participants formed teams to develop and demonstrate their applications, with a panel presenting awards to the most useful and unique creations.
The winner of the best mashup was LobbyClue, which combines data on contract notices, business names, postcodes and electoral boundaries to produce visual representations of relationships between government organisations and businesses
Other notable creations were: It’s Buggered Mate, a service to report damaged public facilities,; Know Where You Live, which provides statistics on Sydney suburbs based on their postcodes; and Rate a Loo, a service to identify and appraise public toilets in the ACT.
Through MashupAustralia, the Government seeks to make developers more aware of the data available and for agencies to increase access to the pool of public sector information.
For further information go to:
Mashups created as part of the event included:
| Media Contact: | Website: |
|---|---|
| Tim Naughtin - 0438 265 065 | www.financeminister.gov.au |
