In July Australia will submit its first National Action Plan to the Open Government Partnership (OGP). These National Action Plans are lists of concrete commitments to advance open government in an OGP member country over a two year period by improving transparency, participation, and accountability. The commitments are co-created by the government and civil society.
The OpenAustralia Foundation plans to contribute a commitment around greater parliamentary openness. You can read about how we’re going about it, and how you can create your own commitment, in Kat’s recent blog post How to make an OGP National Action Plan commitment.
You might be able to tell that we’re quite excited about the OGP process. In fact, we’ve joined a collection of civil society organisations to set up the Australian OGP Civil Society Network. Through the Network you can join a Working Group that interests you and help create ambitious commitments for the our OGP National Action Plan. There are currently five Working Groups:
They Vote For You is also getting in on the action. We want to help the Working Groups see how our elected representatives are voting on these subjects in Federal Parliament. We’ve started with the Anti-Corruption Working Group and already have two new policies to They Vote For You:
Take a look at how your representatives voted and join the Anti Corruption conversation. Or maybe one of the other Working Groups tickles your fancy?
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One Comment
Political donations should be banned entirely. It creates rubbish information and financial benefit for select few. As if any human feels a need to donate to a bunch of lying thief’s for any reason but their own benefit in return…clear as a bell. politicians should also be reduced to average income rates to encourage policy which raises this bar for all. As well politicians caught lying or manipulating the system for person gain or benefit of any kind should face treason charges including rewards like board room seats or any type of benefit which is not for the greater good of the Australian people. Politicians should also face personality testing for suitability, probity checks, drug testing on a regular basis just like the majority of Aussie now have to tolerate as well. Being a representative is not license to elevate ones self above the laws we all must live by. In particular offshore holdings. The chamber of reps (frontbench) on both sides should also be investigated by Asic on regular basis and as public figures all finances should also be public to prevent any cheating as we are all subject to by the ATO or other agencies on a regular basis. All of these things are based on good for the gander, good for the goose. And are only fair and just. I suspect politicians would feel like they were in a police state as do most Australians currently. Again this would assist those in power to understand real life as we all live it outside the political bubblesphere known as Canberra.