"The Framework establishes a standards-based approach to support the flow of information across government and the public sector," said Abetz.
"Government service operations now span agency boundaries and this revised Framework has been designed to help agencies work together."
Titled the Australian Government Technical Interoperability Framework (AGTIF), the revised framework sets out a common language, conceptual model and a more comprehensive set of standards to support the effective exchange of information between ICT systems.
The minister said that while departments and agencies will not be forced to abide by the framework, it had been developed by a Working Group comprising members from a number of government departments and endorsed by the Chief Information Officers' Committee and he was confident it would be used.
"The framework does not in any way constrain agencies' abilities to undertake their core business," said Abetz, and indeed should vastly assist them by ensuring that agencies will be able to interoperate when necessary.
"Interoperability improves efficiency, reduces costs to business and government and support agency capacity to respond more quickly to the needs of government and the community."
"The revised framework now delivers a better set of standards that will in the future lead to a reduction in the cost of government and improvements in the delivery of service to citizens."
Interoperability Defined
The term Interoperability is defined as the ability to transfer and use information in a uniform and efficient manner across multiple organizations and information technology systems. It underpins the level of benefits accruing to enterprises, government and the wider economy through e-commerce.
