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The Queensland Government's e-Democracy Agenda Presentation to the 5 th International ITiRA 2003 Conference Natalie Cook Manager e-Democracy Unit Community Engagement Division Department of the Premier and Cabinet. OVERVIEW. Queensland’s community engagement context
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The Queensland Government's e-Democracy Agenda Presentation to the 5th International ITiRA 2003 Conference Natalie Cook Manager e-Democracy Unit Community Engagement Division Department of the Premier and Cabinet
OVERVIEW • Queensland’s community engagement context • e-Democracy Policy Framework • e-Democracy initiatives • e-Petitions • Internet Broadcast of Parliament • ConsultQld & Get involved website • Directions for e-democracy in Queensland
Community engagement: a definition the connections and interactions between governments and citizens, consumers and communities
Community engagement continuum Information Consultation Active Participation (Increasing level of citizen input and influence)
Global drivers and trends • declining trust & confidence in govts • community complexity & diversity • pace of change and bridging the gap • govts do not have all the answers • expectations for govt efficiencies and responsiveness • new technologies • changing governance
Integrated CE - Qld Govt: • Parliament • Voting • Representations • Petitions • Delegations • Regional Parliament • Internet Broadcasting • Parliamentary • Committees • Executive Government • Community Cabinets • Ministerial Regional • Community Forums • Ministerial • representations • Advisory councils, boards • & committees • Public Sector Agencies • Improvement Strategy • Embedded in policy • processes • Host of existing practices • New methods & • technologies
Restoring Integrity Beattie Plan including the e-democracy trial • Community Engagement Division including the e-Democracy Unit • 1 of 5 Queensland Government priorities • Community Engagement Directions Statement • CE Improvement Strategy • Qld Communication & Information Strategic Plan • Realising the Vision • Queensland Public Service Charter Community engagement in Qld
E-Democracy Policy Framework (Nov 2001) Key Themes • E-democracy within representative democracy • Complementing existing forms of consultation • Equitable online access • Responsiveness, timeliness, facilitative • Site management issues (privacy, security and authentication)
e-Democracy Initiatives • e-Petitions • Internet Broadcast of Parliament • ConsultQld - Online Community Consultation • Get involved website
e-Petitions www.parliament.qld.gov.au/petitions
Statistics and Feedback • 33 e-petitions to date • 5 current • 28 closed • More than 9,850 signatures to date • Positive feedback – convenient, timely, view Ministerial responses • Evaluation
Internet Broadcast of Parliament www.parliament.qld.gov.au/broadcast/
Statistics • 1 April – 12 December: • Approx. 2,000 visits to the web site • Over 4,000 requests for the broadcast – an average of nearly 60 requests per sitting day • Ave. connection time 3 hours
ConsultQld www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au
Statistics • Middle Phase of Schooling • 402 submissions: • 271 public responses • 131 private responses • 236 submissions from students themselves
Some early indications: • Importance of publicity – online and offline • Using networks to promote issue • Agency commitment • Presentation of the issue – writing for the Web
ConsultQld • Online Consultation List Get Involved Website • Broader content • www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au
Future of e-Democracy in Queensland • Ongoing implementation of the 3 initiatives • Evaluation of the Internet Broadcast of Parliament and ConsultQld initiatives • Review of the e-Democracy Policy Framework • Monitoring international developments • Develop options for future e-Democracy strategies and initiatives • e-Democracy beyond government
Research and Trends: • Policy Frameworks (OECD, IDEA, GOL) • Political forms of democracy (participatory vs representative vs deliberative) • Psychological and social participation issues (deliberation, group think, equity, education, trust, uptake) • Technological issues (infrastructure, access, security, cost, privacy, authentication)
Monitoring international developments: • Webcasting • E-petitioning • E-voting • E-polling • Online consultation • E-public network, and • Other participation methods
Benefits: • e-democracy as an enabler/facilitator • strengthens civil society • broader and more diverse reach • test emerging issues • support for young people
Risks/Challenges: • investment may outweigh the dividend • community expectations and capacity • internal public sector capacity • infrastructure and access • targeting the “information elites”
QUESTIONS? Who to contact: • Dianne.Jeans@premiers.qld.gov.au • Natalie.Cook@premiers.qld.gov.au • Tim.Goodwin@premiers.qld.gov.au