NT receives open data portal

A new Northern Territory Open Data Portal has just been opened, providing the public with easier access to government data.

The portal currently hosts 250 datasets in a single place, making it easier to find searchable government data free of charge.

Datasets will continue to be added to the portal, providing a valuable source of information for businesses and individuals.

As well as supporting innovation, research and information gathering, readily available data also fosters a greater culture of transparency and accountability across government as well as assisting with evidence-based policy development.

“The portal is one of the key initiatives of the government’s Digital Territory Strategy and Action Plan that sets out a framework that will enable Territorians to make the most of digital technology to create and take on the jobs of the future, to build connections, to reach their potential and to thrive in a digital economy,” said Minister for Corporate and Information Services Lauren Moss.

“As well as encouraging innovation, the exciting thing about the NT Open Data Portal is the ability to share and analyse data to identify trends, reveal causal factors and find insights that can inform policy decisions, improve service delivery and allow us to better understand and appreciate issues and impacts.”

The Open Data Portal supports digital innovation by allowing digital creators to freely use government data to develop new apps and digital services.

The Open Data Portal is hosting a broad range of datasets including:

• Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment Oral Health Program
• 10 Year Infrastructure Plan
• Natural Resource Maps — Storm Surge
• School Enrolment and Attendance
• Elective Surgery Waiting Times
• Remote Communities with Mobile Coverage
   

The portal will be regularly updated, providing more data for Territorians to access. Requests from the community or industry for new datasets will also be welcomed.

“The NT Open Data Portal provides non-sensitive government information only. Personal or identifiable information will always be protected and will not be released,” Moss said.

Data will be assessed before being publicly released including against provisions in the Information Act to protect sensitive data and to ensure it is meeting appropriate data standards.

For the first time, participants at the 2019 GovHack Hackathon, being held across Australia in September, will have easy access to government data through the NT Open Data Portal.

“The NT Government is continuing its support of the annual GovHack Hackathon in partnership with Charles Darwin University,” Moss said.

“For the first time, GovHack participants will be able to easily access non-sensitive government data through the portal.”

This annual event provides participants with open data and problems to solve, raising the profile of using open government data by the community and industry to encourage efficient service delivery and innovation.

“For NT Government agencies, GovHack provides the opportunity to access thousands of hours of free consultation and research. Indeed, many key participants start their research and analysis weeks before the Hackathon,” said the Northern Territory Director of GovHack, Shanon Loughton.

“This may be how bus routes can be planned more efficiently, to ways in which services to remote and regional Territorians can be provided more effectively.”

The 2019 GovHack Hackathon will be held at the Darwin Innovation Hub and at the Desert Knowledge Australia Precinct in Alice Springs from 6–8 September.

The NT Open Data Portal can be accessed at https://data.nt.gov.au.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Elena Schweitzer

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