Tanner, Conroy start blogging

The Federal Government has taken a step into the Web 2.0 world, with Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and Finance Minister Lindsey Tanner starting a Digital Economy blog to stoke the opinion fires of digital policy.

(Credit: ZDNet.com.au)

Conroy said the blog, the first in a series of trial online policy consultations to be started by the government, would help departments keep in touch with people who were using new methods to communicate.

"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," he said.

Tanner told people in his first blog that they should appreciate the government's efforts because blogging wasn't a simple matter. "If you are saying to yourself 'how hard can it be for government to set up a blog?', remember that in public service terms online consultation is still pretty new, and not without its risks," he said.

Although there was only one blog topic as yet — Tanner's welcome — the plan was to have many more, according to the blog site. Some ideas the blogs will canvas include how to maintain a civil society online — this will be the place to air grievances on filtering, open access to public sector information online, tweaks to Australia's regulatory framework to benefit the digital economy, environmental concerns and skills requirements.

The blogs, which will run for 18 days, will provide material for the government's Future Directions Paper for the Digital Economy which is planned to be released early next year. Parallel to the blog site comments, interested parties will also be able to comment on the paper, to be released shortly, in the usual submission form.

At the end of the 18 days, the responses will be considered and collated to form part of the Future Directions Paper.

Mainly, it will be the digital economy team which will post the blogs with Tanner and Conroy writing "guest" blogs.

To ensure comments fly in the department has also fired up a YouTube Channel in the last few days with relevant videos, including some of Conroy speaking at the forum which led to the paper.

The department is braced for stormy weather when the comments roll in. "We expect to hear a range of views, including some criticisms and negative comments — all we ask is that you submit considered, on-topic comments," the site said.

It also covered itself in case any glitches arrived. "Remember — this is one of the first times the Australian Government has engaged in this manner so we don't expect this to run perfectly," the blog site said.

A spokesperson for Tanner was unable to say which agency would next open up its issues to the public via the blog, but said some were in the pipeline to go live if not in the next few weeks then in January.

The trials will be monitored and evaluated by the Australian Government Information Management Office.