Data and Information Re-Use Ces Steering Group

Open Government Data Steering Group.

Terms of Reference

Purpose The Open Government Data Steering Group will actively drive adoption of the cross-government Open Government Information and Data programme, prioritise the release of public data supporting Government priorities, promote the programme benefits, and oversee progress.

Programme Goals To make non-personal government-held data and information more:

 widely available and discoverable;  easily re-usable; and  compliant with the New Zealand Government Open Access and Licensing framework, the Declaration on Open and Transparent Government, and the NZ Data and Information Management Principles1.

This programme also recognises the imperative to support an accountable, collaborative and participative public sector. It considers issues of collective interest across the public sector and beyond the direct accountability of individual public service Chief Executives.

Programme Scope All non-personal government information and data held by the public sector 2 on behalf of the public. Government-held information and data comprises:

 non-personal data (structured machine-readable data); and  information (unstructured, documents, images, sound recordings, objects, etc.).

Role The Steering Group will:

 decide what projects are included in the work programme and oversee progress, ensuring alignment with legislation, agency/sector strategies, Government policy decisions, and cross- government benefits;  promote understanding and build wide support for the work programme and associated change agenda;  provide advice on guidance required by Agency Data Champions; and  maintain alignment and linkages with other relevant governance bodies.

Steering Group members or their delegates may participate in working groups for projects that are on the Work Programme as agreed by the Steering Group.

Principles When determining the Open Government Data work programme, the following principles will be applied:

 the Government’s priorities are reflected;  benefits are maximised while costs and risks are managed at an all-of-government level;  the views and expectations of all stakeholders are appropriately reflected and balanced;  trust in government and government-held data and information is maintained or enhanced;  there is appropriate consideration of overarching legislation and Government policy decisions;  there is proper prioritisation with a focus on high-impact, high-value initiatives; and

1 See http://ict.govt.nz/programmes/open-and-transparent-government/ 2 Public service departments, state services agencies, state sector organisations and local government authorities. 12 November 2013  each initiative has appropriate, specific and measurable goals, deliverables, accountability arrangements, resources, and progress monitoring.

Composition and Form Members will be selected according to the following criteria:

 is a Tier 2 (or Tier 3, if a very large agency) Data Champion, or a delegate with the appropriate authority to speak for agencies and make required decisions;  holds key public data representing Government’s priorities;  represents leading agency or sector;  influences peers and across their agency or sector;  responsible for business data or procurement of data; and  understands user/customer demand for their public data.

Initial members will be from: Careers New Zealand, Department of Internal Affairs, Inland Revenue, Land Information New Zealand, Ministry for Primary Industries, Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Ministry of Justice, Statistics New Zealand and The Treasury. New members will be invited.

The Chair will be an existing member, selected by the Group. Six meetings will be held each year. No deputies will be accepted at meetings.

Relationship with Open Government Data Chief Executives Governance Group The Open Government Data Steering Group will provide advice as required. The two groups will also meet annually to review programme progress and discuss any issues relating to the Agency Data Champion role within departments and agencies.

Matters to be taken up by the Governance Group shall where practicable first be discussed by the Steering Group. Members whose Chief Executives are on the Governance Group will brief them prior to Governance Group meetings.

Open Government Information and Data Re-use Working Group The Working Group will support and provide expert comment to the Steering Group. It will report via the Chair of the Working Group. Matters to be taken up at Steering Group meetings will be discussed by the Working Group. Members will brief their agency Steering Group member before their meetings.

Once established, the Steering Group will decide whether or not the Open Government Data and Information Re-use Working Group will still be required.

Secretariat A Secretariat will support the governance groups. Meetings will be hosted at the office of the respective Chairs.

Reporting The annual report to Cabinet on Agency Adoption of the Declaration on Open and Transparent Government will be prepared for the Governance Group by the Open Government Data Steering Group.

12 November 2013