Queensland's E-democracy Leadership
From DoWire Wiki
Related: UK highlights and Case Study List
CONTACT: Mr Fergus Hogarth
Tel: +61 7 322 77593
Email: fergus.hogarth@communities.qld.gov.au
eDemocracy Policy: Queensland's E-democracy Leadership
Background Information
Title: eDemocracy Policy
Location: Queensland, Australia
Primary Sponsor
Organisation: eDemocracy Policy, Department of Communities, Queensland Government, Australia
URL: http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/community/edemocracy.html
Budget: The eDemocracy Policy budget for 2004-05 is $0.79 million (AUD) to continue implementation and evaluation of the Government’s eDemocracy agenda
Project Start Date: 2001
Project End Date: ongoing
Executive Summary
In 2001, the Queensland government created The E-Democracy Unit which is a dedicated unit within the Department of Communities, Queensland, Australia. The role of the unit is to develop new and innovative ways for Queenslanders to effectively engage with the State Government and Parliament through the use of information and communication technologies such as webcasting, online consultation and online polling. Queensland recently updated their innovative E-Democracy Policy Framework which is endorsed at the highest level of state government. The e-democracy policy budget for 2004-05 is $0.79 million (AUD) to continue implementation and evaluation of the Government’s e-democracy agenda.
The Get Involved directory was created to help citizen's find out about and participate in decision-making. Internet broadcasts of Parliament commenced in April 2003, over 5,600 citizen's participated in e-polls with a follow up survey showing 95% of respondents believing the ePetitions service represented an additional opportunity to provide input to government decision-making. Over 1300 citizens subscribe to the "get involved" newsletter and authorities have benefited from tapping into a broader range of ideas from the community. The introduction of additional interactive elements such as online polls and discussion forums are being developed for implementation during 2005. Website: http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/community/edemocracy.html
Project Rationale and Objectives
The Queensland Government’s extensive support for eDemocracy initiatives is driven by a need to address declining levels of public trust and confidence in government and increased public expectations for governments to be responsive, accountable and effective.
The initiatives test the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance community access to and participation in government decision-making processes.
Queensland’s eDemocracy agenda is set within a “Smart State” ( http://www.smartstate.qld.gov.au ) framework which promotes better education, a skilled workforce and positions Queensland as a modern knowledge economy and world leader in smart industries. The Smart State framework includes a strong commitment to the use of ICTs to improve government policies, programs and services. The initiatives are also set within a Community Engagement focus: an integrated, multi level approach that includes innovation and reforms in Parliament, Executive Government and across public sector agencies.
Major stakeholders for the success of eDemocracy in Queensland are:
- Queensland citizens wishing to participate in Queensland Government decision-making processes.
- Government agencies seeking to engage community members in policy and program development.
The eDemocracy Policy unit:
- Works with agencies to determine suitability of issues for online consultation.
- Assists in the management of consultation activities featured on the ConsultQld website
- Provides detailed guidelines about the online consultation process.
- Provides advice, information and support about using online technologies to support community engagement practices as part of broader policy development cycles.
- Researches national and international trends in eDemocracy.
What was delivered?
In September 2001, the eDemocracy Unit was established to further the eDemocracy agenda, which included the following initiatives:
- Policy framework: to guide the implementation of eDemocracy initiatives. Considered by external global experts to be the world’s first government with an adopted e-democracy policy framework.
- ePetitioning: the use of the Internet to electronically start and sign petitions to the Queensland Parliament.
- Internet broadcast of Parliament: live broadcast of parliamentary proceedings via the Internet.
- ConsultQld: a trial of community consultation on selected key issues and policy matters being considered by the Government via the Internet.
- Get Involved community engagement Web site: built to host ConsultQld, online polling and other community engagement related materials.
Policy Framework
The eDemocracy Policy Framework makes the government’s commitment and role explicit and establishes basic policy parameters. Following a review in 2004, the current framework builds on the initial framework published in November 2001. This new framework:
- Expands the definition of eDemocracy to incorporate ICTs other than the Internet and to encompass a capacity building role for government.
- States explicit outcomes and objectives relating to providing safe, secure and efficient ways for citizen, Government, and Parliament interactions, increasing knowledge about democratic processes and public policy issues and demonstrating government responsiveness.
- Develops guiding principles for Queensland’s eDemocracy policy that present a coordinated approach with other community engagement activities.
See: http://www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au/share_your_knowledge/resources/documents/pdf/edemocracy_pf.pdf
The eDemocracy Policy Framework, endorsed by the Queensland Government in October 2004, affirms the Queensland Government’s commitment to using information and communication technologies to improve community outcomes and will guide the Government’s future developments and directions. It establishes priorities that will strengthen and expand the current eDemocracy initiatives. It also maintains a commitment to using good practice in order to engage communities in policy, program and service development.
ePetitions
The Petitions Web site provides a central reference point for information about the petitioning process. Members of the public can join a current ePetition, track the progress of an individual petition and receive an automatic email notification when the Minister’s response has been tabled in Parliament and published on the Petitions Web site.
See: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/EPetitions_QLD/HTML
Internet Broadcast of Parliament
The Internet broadcast of Parliament commenced in April 2003 and features live audio transmission of parliamentary proceedings occurring in the Queensland Legislative Assembly Chamber (the state’s only House of Parliament). The audio broadcast is accompanied by a photograph of the current speaker and captioning information to enable users to identify the primary speaker, when possible, and the state of the proceedings.
This initiative assists people in learning about how Parliament works and hearing their elected representatives in action. Queenslanders can assess the performance of their elected representatives via the Internet without being physically present in the State’s capital city, Brisbane.
See: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/broadcast
ConsultQld: The Online Consultation Tool
Online community consultation commenced in May 2003 with the launch of ConsultQld, located on the government’s community engagement website. ConsultQld allows Queenslanders to respond online to issues under consideration by the Government. People can contribute their opinion, read what other people have submitted and read the Government's response.
ConsultQld also features a whole-of-government Online Consultation List, which aims to be a central list of all online and offline consultation activities undertaken by Queensland Government agencies.
See: http://www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au/consultqld/index.cfm
Get Involved: The Community Engagement Web site
The Get Involved community engagement Web site was launched in 2003. It provides information and resources predominantly for community and government sectors and community engagement practitioners. The Web site delivers information about how government works, why and how to get involved in government decision-making, information about government grants and volunteering, guides and research about community engagement practice and a training and development calendar. The site also hosts ConsultQld and provides links to other community engagement resources.
The Get Involved Web site hosted the Queensland Government’s first online poll to assist with the process for the selection of an official state aquatic emblem. Over 5,600 people participated in the online poll.
See: http://www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au
Communication Activity
Promotional activities include raising awareness within the public sector by distributing mouse pads and key event calendar bars for computers. Targeted promotions are conducted to highlight ConsultQld, such as a postcard campaign to attract young users. Other channels used include posters, mailouts, flyers and placement of advertising and media releases in state and local newspapers. Recently, the unit undertook email advertising for a featured consultation.
The Unit works closely with agencies using ConsultQld to assist in the development and implementation of communication strategies to promote online consultation. This includes identifying existing and new audiences, tailoring promotional activities and contributing to communication costs in relation to each new consultation issue featured on ConsultQld.
A display at Parliament House highlights the State Government’s innovative use of the Internet to get more Queenslanders involved in the democratic process. School students participated in the development of the display, providing feedback on design concepts and content. The display was developed to capture the interest of those visiting Parliament House and encourage them to continue to access parliamentary and government sites when they return home. The display is included in all tours of Parliament House.
ENewsletters are circulated to registered subscribers with updates on the Get Involved Web site, featured consultation activities on ConsultQld and other eDemocracy-related activity. Currently there are over 1300 subscribers to the eNewsletter.
Successes
User surveys undertaken as part of the evaluation found that:
- Almost half (48%) of users of ConsultQld indicated that they would not have written and sent a paper submission if online submissions were not available.
- 72% of users stated that the ConsultQld process was either “good” or “very good.”
- 89% of petition respondents intended to return to the Petitions website to view future ePetitions;
- 73% of respondents joined an ePetition because of its convenience.
- 48% because they could view a Ministerial response to the issue.
- 95% of respondents believed the ePetitions service represented an additional opportunity to provide input to government decision-making.
Evaluation of ePetitions in 2003 found a high level of support in the community and among Members of Parliament. Support was especially high in relation to an increase in transparency, as ministerial responses to paper petitions were made available online.
Elements which ConsultQld users identified as particularly useful included:
- Ease of use, speed and direct access.
- Ability to read others’ points of view or ability to see others had the same problem.
- Ability to have a say.
- The personal email communication service.
- That it gave an idea of what to expect in the future.
- The opportunity to know what was going on and to feel connected.
- The potential to share their views with citizens at large.
Benefits to Citizens
Using online engagement enables Queenslanders to:
- Submit their views in a safe and secure environment.
- Read what others are thinking about the same topic.
- Have their say at a time and place which is convenient to them, especially if they are unable to attend offline activities like public meetings.
- Stay in touch with progress of a consultation by receiving email updates.
- See what the government has decided by reading the Feedback Report which is posted to the site after the consultation is closed.
The Get Involved community engagement Web site delivers a seamless, innovative, single point of access for people wanting to find out about and participate in the Queensland Government’s decision-making activities.
The eDemocracy Policy team has also developed capacity building initiatives to assist citizens access and use eDemocracy initiatives. For example, Internet training programs for women have been successfully run and a training partnership with the State Library of Queensland and BHP Billiton focusing on regional communities commenced in the second half of 2004.
Benefits to Authority
Using ICTs to inform policy development is new for most policy practitioners in government. For example, the nature of issues, their appropriateness for online consultation and the provision of feedback and reports to citizens are important stages in the policy cycle. Specific training for policy practitioners has been developed in the use of ICTs, including moderating online consultations, legal requirements such as privacy and publishing reader-friendly policy papers.
The initiatives involve sharing of information and responsibilities between the eDemocracy Unit and government agencies. These partnerships are supported by agreed Memoranda of Understanding which define the roles, responsibilities and expectations of both parties during the online consultation process.
The development and implementation of both ePetitions and the Internet broadcast of Parliament required Executive Government to work closely with the Parliamentary Service through a relationship that acknowledges the respective roles and independence of the Parliament and Executive under Westminster conventions.
Benefits to Councillors (Leaders)
The benefits to elected officials, in this case at the state level including MPs and the Premier are significant. They include an informed community which is aware of policy making processes. Direct exposure to the views of the community and the convenience of being able to gauge community perspectives at a time and place handy to them is valuable to decision-makers. Tapping into a broader range of ideas from the community and the additional opportunity to reach people who may not be involved in traditional, offline processes represent further value.
Limitations
Identified eDemocracy challenges include:
- Level of awareness of the site within the community.
- Provision of timely feedback after the consultation has closed.
- Public awareness and understanding of the policy making process.
- Selection of issues and integration with offline strategies.
- Privacy and security for users while verifying authenticity of participants.
- Technical issues such as download times, access to technology and ability to provide a speedy response.
Evaluation
An eDemocracy evaluation framework was developed in December 2003 to measure whether the eDemocracy initiatives are achieving their stated aims. It addresses issues regarding effectiveness, appropriateness, and implementation and ongoing operational issues such as equity of access, quality of service and sustainability. The framework is the basis for a performance measurement package which draws on a range of data, including user surveys, stakeholder interviews, and quantitative measures to track progress of the eDemocracy initiatives. The specific evaluation of Consult Queensland is positive in regard to the unit’s main objectives. Evaluative analyis is spread throughout this case study and the related case studies on specific Queensland projects.
Lessons learnt
Provision of Feedback
Providing feedback to people who have taken the time and effort to share their views is a critical element in the success of government engagement strategies. Factors influencing the provision of feedback include the complexity of some issues raised during consultation and the diverse organisational structures of some agencies where feedback requires a whole-of-agency response.
Managing Expectations
A recent online consultation on the Get Involved Web site featured a 'Policy Process' page outlining the steps needed to make the required legislative changes within the indicative timeframes. This feature is being considered for future online consultations in order to create awareness of the public policy process.
Issue Selection
Experience indicates that issues that are more suitable for online consultation are those that are appropriate to a general target audience rather than specific stakeholder groups, have broad public appeal and are topical. Online consultation can also be used to test community interest in being involved in consultation before embarking on formal and expensive offline consultation processes.
Site Design
Online consultation sites should be easy for the community to find. Two-way links between the consultation site and other government sites will facilitate access and assist in ongoing coordination of government consultation activities by minimising duplication.
Integration
Online consultations should be integrated with offline consultation strategies, providing a coordinated approach to community engagement strategies. Integrating online consultation processes with existing requirements such as Cabinet processes and traditional policy development processes also enhances both online and offline consultation activities.
Commitment
Commitment is required from government agencies. In part, this is addressed through the use of Service Level Agreements (with respect to ConsultQld) outlining the roles and responsibilities of the agency and the eDemocracy Unit and the requirement for the timely provision of outcome reports following the completion of the consultation period. Involvement of a network of contact officers across government assists in ensuring that information remains timely, consistent with government policy and responsive to the needs of the community
What could happen next?
Evaluation of the eDemocracy initiatives has identified a number of potential enhancements, including the introduction of additional interactive elements such as online polls and discussion forums. These are being developed for implementation during 2005.
Additional information and sources
Further Information:
Related ConsultQld and ePetitions case studies completed by the UK Cabinet Office are part of the national project's database.
Enabling Government, Engaging Communities Online Policy Consultation - a Queensland Perspective Power Point Presentation http://www.agimo.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/38855/041117fh.pdf
The Queensland Government's e-democracy agenda, by Michael Hogan, Natalie Cook, and Dr. Monika Henderson, 21 pages
For more information about eDemocracy in Queensland please email info@getinvolved.qld.gov.au.
Contacts: fergus.hogarth@communities.qld.gov.au
Author: Kerrie Oakes, E-democracy Unit