Here is the draft Government 2.0 Taskforce report Engage: Getting on with Government 2.0. The Taskforce is seeking your comments and input before finalising the report to go to Government.

Please understand that this is a draft and there will be some proofing issues which we are still working on.  Your comments are welcome on those, but we are working on them as you read this – of most value are your comments on the substance of the draft report.

We have until the 17th 16th December to comment on the draft of the main Taskforce report. I've already had a quick look through it and on the whole I think the report reflects the state of Government 2.0 in Australia and outlines a set of reasonable steps to maintaining the momentum, which in my mind is really the most critical issue facing the Taskforce as it wraps up.

Personally I still remain a little unconvinced about the call for capital-C culture change in the public service - not because 'culture' isn't important, but really because it over simplifies the issue. Luckily the report balances this with ideas for addressing some of the root causes.

Similarly, the definition of Government 2.0 quoted in the report from the Google Group continues to concern me because of the whiff of technocracy about it (despite their best efforts to distance themselves from technology). What is lacking, from my perspective in the Government 2.0 community, is a lack of qualified discussion and debate about reform to the government system itself and concepts such as open government before they can really lay claim to such a bigger picture definition.

I haven't seen a lot of media coverage about the report just yet, although ITWire provides some commentary. While they make some good points, I disagree with their conclusion that it doesn't provide a realistic roadmap. The fact is the road to Government 2.0 is going to take a combination of small strategic nudges rather than a grand master plan. It also fails to recognise that government in Australia is in fact already starting to engage online.

Gov2au has been in alpha. We're now entering the beta and that starts here with the Taskforce report.