Open Government Information and Data Re-use Programme: Reference Group

Notes of 3rd meeting, 10am-12.00pm, 8 September 2009

Present / Keitha Booth (Chair)
Rose O’Neill
Vikram Kumar
Matthew Ross
John Roberts
Stephen Crombie
Sonitha Aniruth
Richard Best
AnneMarie Curtis
Colin Klenner
Mark Horgan
David Lambie
Hana Ruth
Nicola Hill
Ted Christiansen
Robin Heywood
Isabella Cawthorn
Caroline Doust
Richard Foy
Gaynor Bradfield
Geoff O’Malley
John Forne
Rob Herries
Paul de Wijze
Rob Warner
Hamish James / (State Services Commission)
(State Services Commission)
(State Services Commission)
(State Services Commission)
(Archives New Zealand)
(Department of Internal Affairs)
(Department of Internal Affairs)
(Department of Internal Affairs)
(Department of Internal Affairs)
(Earthquake Commission)
(Ministry of Education)
(Ministry of Education)
(Ministry of Education)
(Ministry of Health)
(Ministry of Health)
(Ministry of Justice)
(Ministry of Research Science and Technology)
(Ministry of Social Development)
(Ministry of Social Development)
(National Library of New Zealand)
(New Zealand Geospatial Office)
(New Zealand Geospatial Office)
(NZ Security Intelligence Service)
(Parliamentary Counsel Office)
(Standards New Zealand)
(Statistics New Zealand)

Agenda

1  Apologies and Introductions / 2  Minutes of Previous Meeting and Matters Arising
3  Draft NZ Government Open Access and Licensing Framework (NZGOAL) / 4  Sharing and Coordinating Non-personal Data Re-use Initiatives and Activity
5  Other Business: Publishing Cabinet Material on the Web: approval process and publication requirements (Cabinet Notice 09 (5)

Discussion

Agenda item 1: Apologies

Keitha Booth welcomed existing and new Reference Group members and the representatives of the CEs’ Data Re-use Forum.

Apologies were received from Michelle Edgerley (DPMC), Gillian Kemsley (MED), Adam Cooper (LINZ) and James Stratford (DIA).

Agenda Item 2: Minutes of Previous Meeting and Matters Arising

The minutes were accepted as a true record following a minor amendment. Matters arising are being addressed in separate agenda items.

Agenda Item 3: Draft NZ Government Open Access and Licensing Framework (NZGOAL)

Richard Best presented the NZGOAL video prepared for the recent NZ Open Government Data Barcamp. This summarises the draft framework and sets out its international context.

Keitha Booth advised that 9 October is the final date for receiving feedback and that agencies are being encouraged to test the draft framework.

It was agreed that this testing was focusing on the draft NZGOAL policy principles and review and release process. A later piece of work to consider would involve looking at actual re-use of data post release.

It was suggested that the purpose and benefits of NZGOAL be stated more clearly and also that underlying assumptions, such as commercialisation (Paragraph 37(c), be carefully tested.

Geoff O’Malley noted that there would be situations at LINZ when a restrictive licence would be required.

Agenda Item 4: Sharing and Coordinating Non-personal Data Re-use Initiatives and Activity

Rose O’Neill and Stephen Crombie led a discussion on this work. Rose reported that the Data Re-use CEs expressed concern at their Forum on August 20 that they did not know about the data.govt.nz project and that it appeared to clash with individual agency plans. The CEs requested that today’s meeting be held to discuss issues and implications of this project and come up with arrangements that would ensure that all are aware of each other’s plans. The goal of this discussion is to have maximum support across the sector for data-re-use initiatives.

Stephen described the context for establishing the project. Ministers have a keen interest in a website of data which citizens can use to engage in policy development. They have asked the Minister of Internal Affairs to lead capability work to develop a data re-use proof of concept. Feedback from today’s forum is needed to inform a project update to the Minister and the Minister of Finance.

Sonitha Aniruth demonstrated data.govt.nz. Its purpose is to link to government data already released and to facilitate findability and visibility. It is testing a [Ministerial] hypothesis that government data is difficult to find. It will be released as a beta version and fully evaluated.

At this stage, discovery level metadata are being entered manually and the project is looking ahead to automated capture processes using the proposed ATOM feed standard.

The ensuing discussion covered the value proposition for the site, building on existing developments rather than creating a new site, potential public confusion about multiple discovery sites, whether to focus efforts on supporting the Open Data Catalogue already set up by industry experts, data curation, understanding the barriers to access and re-use, plans for promoting the site and the proof of concept evaluation process. A key lesson from Statistics New Zealand’s Statisphere portal is that there must be an automated capability for linking to updated data.

It was noted that DIA has gained the support of the Open Data Catalogue initiative owners for data.govt.nz and that a point of difference with the Open Data Catalogue is that it is likely to link to both authoritative and non-authoritative sources, whereas government’s responsibility is to link only to the authoritative source data.

It was suggested that the incentive for agencies to publish their data for re-use will be the business benefits they accrue from making it available.

Following a discussion about discovery and standards, it was felt that any notification format needs to be addressed by the eGIF.

It will be important to distinguish between the Creative Commons Attribution BY licence used for this site and the range of licence arrangements for the actual data it links to.

It was agreed that the NZGOAL needs to include guidance covering potential personal data issues should anonymised data be mashed up and released. Statistics NZ will provide examples from their extensive experience in addressing this issue. NZGOAL also needs to provide advice recommending agencies consider the risks and impact of releasing infrastructural or other secure data for re-use.

MORST has been compiling case studies showing the positive value from mashups of data in the research, science and technology sector. Case studies from the recent Open Government Data Barcamp and from the Creative Commons International site are also available.

Group members were asked whether they are now comfortable with the data.govt.nz proof of concept following today’s presentation and discussion. Members generally felt that the project is not contrary to their own activities. Statistics NZ noted that it had come as a surprise and that they had not factored it into their review of the Official Statistics System. They do not see it as a fundamental problem, and they will come back urgently to the SSC and DIA to confirm this. The National Library and Archives New Zealand emphasised the importance of curation, continuity, data integrity, context and persistence. The New Zealand Geospatial Office noted that they are working actively on more extensive metadata for geospatial data but this will not lessen the value of this project. The NZ Security Intelligence Service raised the importance of governance and risk mitigation. DIA also noted that support would be required from the group to socialise and promote data.govt.nz and related work within their agencies and or sectors.

DIA will seek feedback from the group on the draft evaluation criteria and their plans for promoting the site.

The group agreed that the Reference Group would continue to meet to discuss the wider open government information and data re-use activities, and receive updates on the data.govt.nz project. Separate governance of the data.govt.nz proof of concept would also be set up.

Keitha invited the new members to advise if they wished to join the Reference Group on a permanent basis.

Agenda Item 5: Other Business

Keitha alerted the group to the recently released Publishing Cabinet Material on the Web: approval process and publication requirements (Cabinet Notice 09 (5), and recorded congratulations to Michelle Edgerley for leading this work. Vikram noted that the Office of the Community and Voluntary Sector had already released a Cabinet Minute under these provisions.

Summary of Action Points

1  DIA to seek feedback from the group on the draft evaluation criteria and their plans for promoting the site.

2  Statistics NZ to provide examples from their extensive experience in addressing potential personal data issues should anonymised data be mashed up and released.

3  Group members were asked whether they were now comfortable with the data.govt.nz proof of concept following today’s presentation and discussion. Members generally felt that the project is not contrary to their own activities. Statistics New Zealand will come back urgently to the SSC and DIA to confirm this.

4  Reference Group to continue to meet to discuss the wider open government information and data re-use activities, and receive updates on the data.govt.nz project.

5  Separate governance of the data.govt.nz proof of concept to be set up.

Next Meeting

Date: Thursday 22 October 2009, 10.00am to 12 noon.

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