There’s been a lot of talk of late when it comes to Government and its use (or lack thereof) of new technologies to make life better for citizens. For those interested in the topic there’s a conference on in Canberra next Monday that will be well worth attending.

Gov 2.0, brought to you by CeBIT, will be at Canberra’s Hyatt Hotel on October 19 and will bring together Australia’s leading government Social Media policy makers and the top exponents of public sector Web 2.0 use from the US, UK and New Zealand.

It will report feedback to the Federal Government’s own Government 2.0 Taskforce, and feature snapshots of best practice Social Media policies from the Obama Administration, Westminster as well as Australia’s own Web 2.0 visionaries.

Governments around the globe have been gradually adopting social media. The UK Government, for example, has been using Wikis since 2005, and some 79 of Britain’s 645 MPs use Twitter along with almost 200 other parliamentary candidates.

Just last week, the UK High Court has issued an historic ruling for a writ to be issued over Twitter against an anonymous tweeter, blaneysbarney, claiming to be political commentator Donal Blaney.

Westminster’s experience and use of Gov 2.0 techniques will be headlined in Canberra by Dr Andy Williamson, the director of the UK Hansard Society’s eDemocracy Program, which is promoting greater dialogue and partnership between the UK Parliament and the public.

Dr Williamson, also the former Deputy Chair of the New Zealand Government’s Digital Strategy Advisory Group, will outline how the UK’s Hansard Society is driving such online political communications and furthering “digital democracy”.

In the US as well, President Obama has made Open Government, and the use of technology to achieve this, a cornerstone of his Administration.

Dr Melodie Mayberry-Stewart, the Chief Information Officer and Director of the Office of Technology for New York State, will outline progress in adopting Web 2.0 in US Governments in light of Obama’s Open Government Memorandum.

Dr  Mayberry-Stuart, the first woman and African-American to be appointed to the role of New York CIO, led the implementation of the New York State’s “Empire 2.0” strategy, modeled after the Memorandum.

To demonstrate the Australian Government’s own expertise, ACT Senator Kate Lundy, one of the government’s most experienced users of Web 2.0 technology, will deliver the opening address, outlining how Government 2.0 technologies and methodologies can help all levels of government build a strong citizen-centric approach in the delivery of services.

Also speaking is Ms Mia Garlick, Assistant Secretary for the Digital Economy within the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, and one of the most high profile advisors to Minister Stephen Conroy. Ms Garlick is helping lead the discussion within Government about all issues relating to the long-term direction of the nation’s Digital Economy. With her unparalleled expertise, Ms Garlick’s insights will add further authority to the powerful speaker panel.

Australian case studies of successful government Web 2.0 initiatives will give the conference a valuable practical focus.  Ms Bobby Graham the Director Web Publishing (Acting) at the National Library of Australia, for example, will outline the library’s enthusiastic use of Wiki-based collaboration since 2006, one of the world’s pioneering applications of such techniques.

A full speaker list, and agenda for the conference, is available at www.gov2.com.au. The conference will also be streamed online live at www.gov2.com.au/live

The conference isn’t free…at the moment tickets range between $695 and $994 ex GST. That having been said, it sounds like it’s going to be a top day for the Gov 2.0 movement here in Australia so it will be well worth attending or, at the very least tracking online, on Monday.