Carolyn Dalton

This is an interesting topic. Google strongly supports the open availability and flow of PSI. With our work with Australian developers who use various Google APIs, we've seen, first hand, Australian developers use and mashup data in great ways - the availability of data spurs great innovation. Australian developers are making very useful applications, using Google and other APIs and publicly available data, for PCs and mobiles. There's all sorts of public sector information that could be made openly available with huge benefits. Here are a couple of examples of the types of data that would be particularly useful, and some ways that we at Google have started to use public sector information to provide online and mobile services to Australians. * Public transit data. Google Transit™ combines transit data with Google Maps to allow you to easily find a way to get from A to B via public transport. Currently, Perth and Adelaide data is available. With more and more GPS-enabled devices on the market, being able to ask your phone 'How do I get to 'x' business from where I am, using public transport?' is very compelling. Rather than being a simple timetabling application, public transport directions to any business or location on online maps could be displayed. Currently, however, this data is not made openly available. * Mapping data for cycle paths, walking trails, playgrounds and playing fields. Making cycle path data available would allow cyclists to plan their rides, with the knowledge of where the cycle paths are and whether they are adjoined to or separated from roads. The availability of walking trail data would allow walkers to plan walks with an understanding of where the trails are and what level of difficulty they present. Lots of great websites and mashups have been built around user-contributed cycling and walking tracks, so there's clearly demand for it. * Topographic data including coastal data, ski field data and waterways. As an example of what is possible, Google Maps allows users to explore the Great Barrier Reef - the largest reef system in the world. Through close collaboration with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, we provide map data and updated satellite imagery of the islands, reefs, cays, and rocks in Google Maps. This helps people plan trips, see dive spots and familiarise themselves with the reef. But more broadly, this data is generally inaccessible. * Public toilet information, yes - public toilets! Providing the location of public toilets would be an extremely useful feature to include on online mapping services. Kid needs to go to the bathroom? Get on your mobile, the phone GPS knows where you are, touch the screen once, and there's the nearest toilet. (You can imagine this being mashed up with public walking path data to find the quickest route). Currently the Government runs a single national public toilet map, but Australian developers could do so much more if the underlying data was publicly available. As a signature example of how making public sector information available can contribute to society, look at all the electoral maps and gadgets that were created in 2007 on the back of the Australian Electoral Commission making its polling booth and electoral boundary data openly available. Hopefully the above suggestions are useful. Carolyn Dalton Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs Google Australia and New Zealand