Government report says public sector info should be "free"

A Federal Government taskforce headed with reporting how government should engage online has released a draft report indicating that public sector information should be "free".

The taskforce recommended that in order to make public sector information more open, accessible and reusable, it should be free (in the absence of substantial marginal costs), based on open standards, easily discoverable, understandable, machine-readable and freely reusable.

It made the recomendation in a 129-page draft report posted on its website.

"Australia must do better" if it is to realise the Government's aspirations, the report said.

The Australian Government announced the taskforce in June. Finance minister Lindsay Tanner said at the time that it would "help drive government in this country into the leading ranks around the world of governments that are both open and transparent and using new technologies."

The taskforce was asked to provide advice on how government information could be made more accessible and usable in order to establish a pro-disclosure culture around public sector information.