Australian Government Linked Data Working Group

About Linked Data

"Linked Data" refers to a set of standards, practices, and tools for publishing and linking structured data on the Web. Data that is Linked Data is linked to other data and can in turn be linked from other data. It is data that is published in a machine-readable way because all data is explicitly described in meaning and in format. For data publishers, it aims to efficiently maximise the capacity for interoperability and correct interpretation of published data. For data consumers it aims to maximise the efficient and correct re-use of data.

Be inspired by this video of Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web.

Contact

Co-Chairs:

Dr Nicholas Car
Australian National University & DCCEEW
John Machin
Department of Finance
Dr Terhi Nurmikko-Fuller
Australian National University

Contact the co-chairs directly using:

linkeddatairi@ardc.edu.au

Mailing List

The WG maintains a mailing list used for most fo our communications: notices of meeting, general discussion etc. You can request to be added to the mailing list, just ask the co-chairs.

The Australian Government Linked Data Working Group was established in August 2012 to meet the Linked Data challenges facing the Australian government.

Governance

This Working Group is informal but some of its functions are recognised by multiple agencies. A Memorandum of Understanding, signed in 2017, is in effect between 6 agencies (DTA, BoM, CSIRO, Dept. Finance, GA & NAA) which reserves the use of this web address, linked.data.gov.au, for Linked Data resources.

Read the MoU

As Linked Data technologies advance and become commonplace, it will be necessary for Government to become responsive to the demands of its citizens, as well as its own entities, with regards to Linked Data's use. Developing government arrangements and establishing technical mechanisms for Linked Data implementations will ensure Australian individuals, businesses and organisations can benefit from the opportunities these technologies offer.

The Group is a community of Commonwealth Government Linked Data experts and champions with invited, non-voting, participation of individuals, corporations and other entities. In addition to drafting policy and technical guidance on the implementation of Linked Data for the Australian Government, members of the group also supply some core technical Linked Data services.

Want to join us?

Do you want to help us raise the profile of Linked Data? Or perhaps learn about Linked Data?

Why not join the Working Group either as an observer to stay in touch with Linked Data issues or as an active group participant to make a contribution:

Join Here!

Members

Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian National University
Australian Research Data Commons
Bureau of Meteorology
CSIRO
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
Department of Communications
Department of Finance
Department of Human Services
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Digital Transformation Agency
Federation University Australia
Geoscience Australia
Indigenous Data Network
National Archives of Australia
Queensland Department of Natural Resource, Mines & Energy
Safe Work Australia
Tasmanian Department of State Growth
University of Queensland

Informal Members

Intersect Australia
Link Digital
National Computational Infrastructure
PSMA
SURROUND Australia Pty Ltd

Current Work

Several subgroups operate under the auspices of the Australian Government Linked Data Working Group with two of the groups being concerned with establishing guidelines on the use of Linked Data in the Australian Government. Meetings of these subgroups are attended by a range of members of the working group and are also open to informal or prospective members of the working group and to occasional visitors wanting to know about Linked Data infrastructure.

See the Groups page for more information about our subgrous and other Linked Data-related groups that we know of.

Persistent Identifier Allocations

This working group allocated persistent, Internet-based identifiers for Linked Data resources, as per our URI Guidelines (see the Governance page). The status of identifiers allocated is given in the PID Allocations Catalogue:

https://catalogue.linked.data.gov.au

This catalogue contains both allocated and requested but not allocated identifiers. Requests for new identifiers are made by creating new entries in the catalogue. All Working Group members may make such requests.