By JONATHON HOWARD
NOOSA MP Glen Elmes is urging Noosa’s digital entrepreneurs to win fame and a $60,000 fortune from software giant Microsoft, if they enter this year’s Premier’s Awards for Open Data.
The awards champion Queenslanders who find creative ways to use the masses of online information released by the State Government under its open data initiative.
Mr Elmes said more than 1400 previously unreleased sets of raw data had been published for the public and businesses to utilise.
“Open data makes government more accountable and presents a fantastic opportunity for digital innovators,” Mr Elmes said.
Information released by the Queensland Government under its open data policy covers a vast range and includes real-time wave height records, details of the State’s capital works projects and a breakdown of compulsory third-party insurance claims.
Open data, which is available to download free of charge at www.data.qld.gov.au, has already been used to create several new apps and help businesses develop new services.
Examples include an app to alert drivers when they enter a school zone, a one-stop online shop for farmers looking for land data and an improved way to plan bus and train travel.
“Queensland is already creating half of all new jobs in Australia and open data will help more Queensland businesses start up and succeed,” Mr Elmes said.
Categories in the Premier’s Awards include best use of open data, best commercial app and best community app. There will also be awards for the best submissions from Queensland students and public servants.
The Queensland Government prize pool of $17,000 in cash will be awarded to entrants who demonstrate the most innovative and productive use of public data.
In addition, Microsoft will award $60,000 to the entry which demonstrates the most start-up potential.
Nominations close on 26 September. The winners will be announced in December.
For more information on entering the awards, please visit www.data.qld.gov.au
