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
John Machin
Australian Government
Dr Terhi Nurmikko-Fuller
Australian National University
Andew Fitzgerald
Department of Finance
Alastair Paxton
Independent

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!

Attendees come from:

Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian National University
Australian Research Data Commons
Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG)
CSIRO
Department of Agriculture Forestry & Fisheries
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Department of Finance
Department of Human Services
Digital Transformation Agency
Federation University Australia
Geoscience Australia
Indigenous Data Network
Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development
Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
University of Queensland
University of Western Australia

Current Work

Persistent Identifier Allocations

Allocating linked.data.gov.au-namespaced IRIs, based on our URI Guidelines (see the Governance page). The status of identifiers allocated is given in the PID Allocations Catalogue:

Apply for new PIDs via the ID Catalgoue

If you don't already have an account for this, please contact the co-chairs.

Speakers Schedule

The Working Group arranges speakers on Linked Data topics for its monthly meetings.

PID System Upgrade

Over the 2025 calendar year, the WG is working towards replacing the current PID system with a new, Linked Data-native, system.