Victoria on the go with mobile government

Victoria is emerging as a hub for mobile-government, as the State’s government departments release a variety of smartphone apps and mobile-friendly websites that will cement its position as the nation’s leader in Gov 2.0.

In the lead up to the election, the Electoral Commission released the Vote Victoria app, which uses GPS technology to direct users to their nearest polling booth. VicRoads boasts the SmartPark app which reminds city drivers about clearway times and notifies them when their meter is due to expire. It has also developed Live Drive with real time updates on traffic conditions. And the State Revenue Office has just launched an application targeted at first home buyers with which they can calculate the amount of government assistance they are eligible for to help them with their purchase.

Dale Bowerman, Strategic Account Manager with Gov 2.0 strategists Collabforge, attributes Victoria’s momentum in this space to a series of policies which have opened the way for collaboration and innovation.

“The Gov 2.0 Action Plan and VPS Innovation Strategy have really set the tone for expectations around the Gov 2.0 and Web 2.0 space. In particular the Gov 2.0 Action plan, which is signed by the secretaries of all of the major departments, has given the green light to go forth and engage in the public space,” he says.

The company’s director, Mark Elliot, traces it back to the Future Melbourne plan (which Collabforge helped develop), an interactive wiki designed to cooperatively develop a ten year vision for the city. Link to full article at Intermedium