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[Posted by Cheryl Foong on the Creative Commons Australia site, CC-BY] The Queensland Government has implemented its ’open data revolution’ by launching the Queensland Government Data website – data.qld.gov.au.

The initiative was first announced by Premier Campbell Newman in a press release ‘Queensland Government’s ‘open data’ revolution begins‘ in October 2012. The Premier’s press release ‘New portal revolutionises open data‘ (14 December 2012) heralded the launch of the beta site in December 2012.

Further details have been provided in the Premier’s message published on the Queensland Government Data website in January 2013. The Premier’s message outlines the rationale behind Queensland’s ‘open data revolution’, explains the meaning of open data, and lists a timetable for delivery of outcomes.

In defining open data, Premier Newman states that agencies must provide open data in a standard way, so that it can be used by Queenslanders effectively.  Importantly, agencies are to “apply clear licences (preferably open licences such as Creative Commons)”.

According to the timetable for delivery, each core departmental agency is to publish an open data strategy, including a roadmap to release datasets, by April 2013. Departments such as Transport and Main Roads, Natural Resources and Mines and Queensland Police and are already on the front foot, releasing datasets under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 3.0 Australia licence.  Statutory bodies are expected to publish their open data strategy and dataset release roadmap by October 2013.