1. Government services via the web in regional Australia
Tom Worthington
Visiting Fellow
Australian National University
For the 4th Annual Web Content Management for Government
Hyatt Hotel Canberra
17th & 18th September 2007
Tom Worthington Visiting Fellow
Australian National University
Tom was elected a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society for his contribution to the development of public Internet policy. Tom was the first webmaster of the Department of Defence and in 2003 was invited to address the Beijing Organising Committee on the design of the web site for the 2008 Olympics.

2. Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007
Overview
Optimising web sites for new wireless regional networks
Smart phones for managing pandemics
Services for remote indigenous communities online
Using the web to reduce regional carbon emissions
Several new wireless technologies are being introduced to regional areas of Australia.
With a few small changes to their web sites, government agencies can optimise their
service delivery over these new delivery chains. Smart phones are now readily available in agencies and companies, but are being used for little more than reading . These can be effective tools to address rapidly emerging situations, such as influenza pandemic. Australian governments are addressing a critical issues in remote indigenous communities. Provision of government services, information and education via the web can supplement and support other delivery mechanisms.
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

3. Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007
Long-term goal
Services by the web to all Australia
Delivery:
city and country
to desktops and mobile devices
by dial-up, broadband and wireless
Services to remote indigenous communities online
Using the web to reduce regional carbon emissions
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

4. Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007
The Present Situation
Government web sites optimized for desktop computers
Information, not service delivery
Written from the point of view of a public servant in the city
No provision for emergency use
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

5. Development up to present
Vertical “stove-pipe” agency web sites
Large PDF documents
Limited use of accessibility
Limited use of web in agencies
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

6. Potential Alternatives
Build separate web sites for mobile, rural, remote and culturally separate groups
Use accessibility features of the browser for an integrated design
Educate public service to use the web as a tool, not just a publishing medium
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

7. Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007
Recommendation
Start with the accessible, mobile/desktop one for approach
Use web as an internal tool
AGIMO provide advice to agencies on web design
NAA provide e-document advice
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

8. Optimising web sites for new wireless regional networks
Wireless networks will have less bandwidth
Use Web Accessibility features for low bandwidth option
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
Use inbuilt Css Features
Follow AGIMO Guidelines
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

9. Smart phones for managing pandemics
Web based emergency software can be used in the field with smart phones
Sahana:
Free Open Source Software
Works with smart phones
Openmoko:
Open source Linux phones
Suitable for use in an Influenza Pandemic
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

10. •Services for remote indigenous communities online
Provide web based services for low bandwidth links
Consider those where English is not their first language
Provide for resources for health and other professionals
Provide tools for the community to deliver online services
Consider Online training delivery
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

11. Using the web to reduce regional carbon emissions
ICT causes 1.52% of national carbon emissions: ACS
Replace desktop applications with web ones
Replace PCs with thin web clients
Replace travel to meetings with web based social networking.
Reducing ICT Carbon Emissions
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007

12. Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007
More information
Web in regional Australia
ACS Policy Statement on Green ICT
AGIMO Guidelines
Smart phones for Influenza Pandemic
Online training delivery
Web Design
Metadata and E-document management
Tom Worthington, 17th September 2007