Innovation and collaboration are at the forefront of a remarkable event set to take place across Australia and New Zealand this year. GovHack, the highly anticipated hackathon, is returning to provide an exciting platform for citizens to engage with public servants and explore innovative ways to use open government data. With its unique co-design approach, the hackathon encourages participants from all demographics to come together and brainstorm ideas that can potentially shape the future of governance and public services.

What is GovHack, and how does it work?

GovHack, scheduled from August 18 to 20, is a nationwide event held simultaneously across multiple locations in Australia and New Zealand, including ACT, NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania, and Western Australia. The event brings together teams of four to five individuals, who have a mere 46 hours to respond to challenges set by various government agencies. These challenges revolve around using open government data to address real-world issues and improve public services.

Participants immerse themselves in the hackathon, collaborating intensively to create a minimal viable project (MVP) using the available data. Agencies define the challenges, which cover a wide range of topics, from environmental sustainability to public healthcare and transportation. Examples of past challenges include “Helping Australia reach net zero emissions by 2050,” “Meeting short-term health needs outside of a hospital,” and “Pricing public transport.”

Co-Design exercise with impressive outcomes

GovHack’s unique co-design approach has proven successful, attracting enthusiastic participants with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. Jan Bryson, the sponsorship lead for GovHack, aptly describes the event as “a major co-design exercise.” Participants engage in a collaborative process where citizens from all walks of life brainstorm ideas. Notably, participants can earn monetary rewards as recognition for their innovative solutions.

Moreover, GovHack serves as an informal training ground for public servants, allowing them to acquire new skills and knowledge. In this sense, it can be likened to achieving a micro-credential in a non-traditional manner. 

One of the key advantages of GovHack is its ability to unlock new possibilities through open government data. Participating government agencies, such as the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), have found immense value in the fresh perspectives offered by the event. GovHack allows these agencies to gain a fresh set of eyes over their data, paving the way for innovative ideas, particularly those related to secondary uses of the data.

GovHack’s track record includes numerous successful projects from the hackathon. Notably, “Search(t+1)” is a remarkable dashboard that utilises data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and historical data from the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme. This dashboard helps start-ups research their target demographic and make informed decisions to enhance their operations.

As the event continues to grow and inspire, it is certain to drive impactful changes in governance and public services, promoting a brighter and more inclusive future for Australia and New Zealand.

Jomar Teves

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After four years in business school and working for multinational clients, Jomar believes he can improve the world through his writings via Public Spectrum, by informing the public on the latest news and updates happening around the government and society. Jomar has eight years experience as a writer and has a degree in Business Administration and Entrepreneurial Marketing.

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