We already use the opportunities that the web 2.0 world offers a bit, but we could be doing a lot more.
For those who haven’t seen it yet here is Lindsay Tanner’s blog. Worth keeping an eye on I’d say. He’s posed a bunch of questions – as follows. Hightail it over there and answer the questions.
Should we set up our own blogs or just pop up on blogs that are already operating?
How much leeway should we give public servants to express opinions on behalf of the government?
Should we have public servants blogging as informed private citizens or official representatives of government?
How much additional resources should be provided to fund government participation?
Should our blogging focus on specific areas of government activity?
Interesting, but having Lindsay Tanner blog for The Age? Sheesh! That’s going to do wonders for ‘perceptions of media bias’ about the Fairfax papers.
I know that politicians regularly write opinion columns for the papers, but blogging is a little different to an opinion column for a paper. In general, bloggers have their own site, and all the other political blogs I can think of exist on the politicians own website, even if that’s just a blog-spot.
“Interesting, but having Lindsay Tanner blog for The Age? Sheesh! Thats going to do wonders for perceptions of media bias about the Fairfax papers.”
Actually, given Tanner’s half-way rational approach to issues, it will make them seemuch less imbalanced to the left, I would have thought.
TimT, I dont know if it counts as media bias since he alternates with Julie Bishop.
I also left a comment. In case it doesn’t get published I will copy it here.
Should we set up our own blogs or just pop up on blogs that are already operating?
Should the two be mutually exclusive? Having a blog from a Minister for such and such means that anyone will be able to have a look see what’s happening and have a look.
But it would be terrific if any politicians could also contribute to highly read blogs because this would give way to a much more free exchange of views.
How much leeway should we give public servants to express opinions on behalf of the government?
Very little. I believe that public servants are there to serve the public, not the government of the day. It is the job of the politician to express opinions on behalf of the government not a public servant who should give advice ‘without fear or favour’.
Should we have public servants blogging as informed private citizens or official representatives of government?
The question of public servants being ‘representative of governments’ was addressed above, but in regards to them blogging as informed public servants we need to be clear. As a librarian I use a blog to disseminate information and receive advice on our service or program, but I don’t offer opinions. I personally can’t see any value in public servants doing it as citizens themselves, because as long as they are identified as PS, they will be bound by certain rules. How would you react if a public servant from the Department of Finance and Deregulation stated on a blog that ALP policy he had to implement was crap? I don’t think that you would be very happy! I can just imagine the media and the opposition having a field day.
How much additional resources should be provided to fund government participation?
As other have said here the good thing about blogging is that it is inexpensive. If lots of resources are used to provide sites with bangs and whistles it may be seen as another PR exercise.
Should our blogging focus on specific areas of government activity?
Not necessarily. Obviously certain areas will attract more interest than others. But on the other hand blogs may give the opportunity for people to know and express an opinion in areas that are less well known.
Overall I am a bit cynical of ‘government blogs or blogs from politicians because they inevitably become another version of their websites anyway with approved statements media releases etc.
This is an example, it may be informative, but it isn’t really a ‘blog’ it is another PR vehicle.
Why does he have to blog for a paper? He could start up his own like Andrew Bartlett. Make it purple. He should fire up one at Blogspot, Typepad, WordPress, or wherever. Maybe even really go for the hard-core cred of his own server. One which is slow to load, like LP, or always going down, like Troppo.
“Why does he have to blog for a paper?”
It’s not even blogging. It’s just yer bog standard MP column written by private office staff. In the past it would have been a monthly 300 word column in the local paper traded off against public sector announcements and ad placements.
Basically “blog” has become in many circles a catchall phrase for participation and feedback by commentators. Let’s see how these blogoteistes perform when confronted by the Large Hadron Collder spanning up.
Correct. Quite. And indeed.
I forgot to add: “He should get a proper blog“.