Open Government Information and Data Re-use Working Group

Notes from Workshop held at the Land Information New Zealand Offices, 160 Lambton Quay, Wellington, on 13 October 2011 from 10am-12noon.

Present

Alison Stringer (MfE/Secretariat) (Chair) / Nadia Webster (DIA-GIS)
Sue Dahl (DIA-NLNZ policy) / John Roberts (DIA -Archives NZ)
Mark Horgan (MOE) / Di Anorpong (LINZ)
Matthew Andrews

Corresponding only:

Richard Best (DIA)
Lewis Brown (NatLib)) / Michelle Edgerley (DPMC)
Simon Olsen (DIA–Local Government)

Apologies

Keitha Booth (Secretariat) / Dean Rutherford (MOJ)
Paul de Wijze (PCO) / David Lambie (MOE)
Tina Sutton (DIA – GIS) / Mark Lindsay (Stats NZ)
Kevin Sweeney (NZGO) / Helen Jones (MOH)
Alan Bell (MED) / Rachael Hanna (MSI)
Michelle Groves (PCO)

Discussion

Agenda Item 1: Agree minutes from last meeting; review action points

1.1  Minutes agreed, no outstanding action points.

Agenda Item 2: Report back from 23 August CEs’ Steering Group meeting – for information

2.1  John Burrows and Margaret Thompson from the Law Commission sought feedback on nature and features of a monitoring role. Keitha to provide clarification to group on return.

2.2  Alan Barker from Martin Jenkins has been contracted to do governance review of the steering and working groups, and the governance of the work programme. The report will be available for the Working Group and Steering Group meetings in December.

2.3  Steering Group meeting agenda to be ready for circulation by Thursday 20 October. Comments/ feedback to Alison by Monday 17 / Tuesday 18 October.

Agenda Item 3: Work Programme Status Reports

Agency / Feedback
DIA / The group discussed DIA's Open Data Project report. The group noted the issue of duplicate datasets listed on data.govt.nz and geodata.govt.nz, and DIA's preference to await the outcome of the data.govt.nz review before deciding next steps.

Agenda Item 4: Declaration Guidance and Advice work programme

4.1  The group reviewed the proposed Work Programme of Guidance and Advice to support 2011 Declaration on Open and Transparent Government, 1 page A3 document and provided updates and amendments. Any further feedback is to be given to Alison before COB Tuesday 18 October.

4.2  The group would also like to see the value chain approach included in the document for CEs. Alison to discuss with Keitha.

Agenda Item 5: Metadata Standards papers

5.1  John Roberts presented a finalised version of the paper from previous meeting. The group felt that the paper needed more clearly defined recommendations and an overview or up date. They felt that it needed to explain clearly to CEs why this is important and why they should care.

5.2  The group agreed that a final version paper would go to the December CEs meeting along with the final governance review report.

Agenda Item 6: Crown Law Office’s advice on non-personal information

6.1  Matthew Adams from Crown Law presented the group with their findings on the “Advice on definition of ‘non-personal information’”. As there is no formal legal definition for non-personal information, Crown Law used the legal definition of what is personal information and worked backwards (see paragraph 9).

6.2  The Government response to the Law Commission’s review of the Privacy Act is being developed so more recommendations around the definition could appear later.

6.3  Questions were raised around Paragraph 12.3. Could agencies state that the non-personal information they have could be mashed with other information which then makes it personal, as a reason to not realise the information? Matthew informed the group that at this stage there is no obligation for agencies to think in terms of mashed up information; however this could evolve and change later down the line. Nadia provided an example where this reason had been given to not provide information. Matthew agreed to look into this in more detail.

6.4  The group agreed that DIA consider asking Crown Law to provide a review of the Privacy Commissioner’s decision on the baby names database for the Mix and Mash competition.

Agenda Item 7: Other Business

7.1 None.

Next meeting:

3 November, 11am

1