8.4 Tasmanian Government websites
Principles
Government websites are key platforms for providing public access to information and services. They are also a critical part of government’s internal communication and information sharing infrastructure. Agencies must aim to meet the public expectation that information on government websites is accurate and up-to-date.
Requirements
Agencies must manage their websites and portals in accordance with the Tasmanian Government Website Standards. In particular, the following broad principles, contained within the Tasmanian Government Website Standards, apply to Tasmanian Government websites:
- Public information is made available online except where the head of agency determines not to publish on the web because of:
- high cost relative to the benefit of electronic accessibility
- low usage
- high publication complexity
- low suitability for web delivery.
- Details of public information unavailable on the web must be discoverable on the web. A brief summary must be provided together with details on how to access a copy via email, telephone or mail.
- Agencies must ensure access to, and usability by, the widest possible target community appropriate to the service or information resource.
- Agencies are responsible for the content and must ensure services and information resources provided online are comparable in quality and functionality to those delivered by other means.
When creating websites, agencies should carefully consider whether it is appropriate to publish the information on an existing website or a new website. In particular, information about projects with limited lifespan or expected low public interest may be more appropriately and efficiently published on either the agency’s main website or another existing site.
To ensure publishing standards and communications requirements are met, agencies must:
- clearly identify their websites as being a communication tool of the Tasmanian Government
- link their websites to the Tasmanian Government portal www.tas.gov.au and the Service Tasmania portal www.service.tas.gov.au
- ensure information published on websites is regularly updated, accurate and easy to understand
- ensure information published on websites is accessible to users with disability and/or browse the web using assistive technologies, in accordance with the Tasmanian Government Website Standards
- aim to make non-HTML content (such as PDF or Word) available in a number of alternate formats either on the website or by request
- request new tas.gov.au domain names (where required) in accordance with the Tasmanian Government Domain Naming Guidelines
- provide a mechanism on all websites that allows members of the public to submit comments, questions or feedback directly to the agency
- respect privacy rights and copyright ownership in all online publishing and communication in compliance with the Personal Information Protection Act 2004, the Guidelines on Workplace Email, Web Browsing and Privacy (Australian Privacy Commissioner), and the Copyright Act 1968.
- ensure the permission of subjects is gained of all subjects when publishing photographs or videos on agency websites (see Acknowledgement of Use Image (Adult and Minor) Form)
- ensure information published on websites is recorded and archived in accordance with agency records management policies and with the Archives Act 1983 and the Libraries Act 1984
- procure the services of external website consultants and developers in accordance with the Treasurer’s Instructions, including the Government Information Technology Conditions (GITC), and the specific requirements in section 7.2 Communications procurement.