GovHack: promoting open access to our data

3 June 2014

As part of our commitment to providing open access government data, Geoscience Australia is hosting a DataJam session in the lead-up to GovHack.

The GovHack event encourages software developers and web designers from government, industry, academia and the general public, to come together to explore ideas and encourages innovation using freely available government data in an effort to promote open government.

DataJam gives potential GovHack participants a sneak peek at the official datasets that are available, ahead of the main GovHack event which will take place in July.

Geoscience Australia is one of a number of Australian Government agencies sponsoring the event as part of Public Sector Innovation Month 2014.

As the national geoscientific agency, Geoscience Australia provides stewardship of a vast range of data that supports decision making in the management of Australia's precious water resources, hazard modelling for safer communities; and exploration for mineral and petroleum resources.

Geoscience Australia also announces the release of the Australian Government's new spatial data catalogue FIND. FIND provides better access to a network of open government data, in conjunction with data.gov.au .

The catalogue allows search and download of a wide range of spatially-referenced datasets created by both the Australian and State and Territory Governments. The catalogue will be expanded as new partners come online.

Geoscience Australia will be offering data sets and sponsoring a prize for the best science hack - using government data for great scientific outcomes and helping people engage in, understand and use scientific information in their everyday lives.

The DataJam event will livestreamed via the GovHack website, with the video content also made available at a later date.