TASMANIAN developers and hackers will soon get their hands on government data - all in the name of improving government services and transparency.
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National hacking event GovHack will include Tasmania for the first time this year, with more than 50 participants expected to "join in the hack".
At a hack, participants are given datasets of information and have around 24 hours to create a new and improved way for users to understand it.
Creations from previous GovHacks include an app called "I'm Buggered" which allows users to report potholes, busted toilets or other public works issues.
The app then sends the relevant government or council a notification so they can fix it, and lets users know when it's done.
"Safe Route" helps users find appropriate roads out of bushfire situations, while "Is your polly smarter than a fifth grader?" reviews Hansard and compares the speech patterns of our MPs to those of schoolchildren.
National co-ordinator Pia Waugh says GovHack is all about connecting citizens to government and getting the government to innovate in interesting ways.
"By encouraging and supporting development you can get clever and creative things to come out, and better ways to communicate complicated ideas," Ms Waugh said.
"It's also about supporting our thriving technical community in Australia - it's a world-leading industry but it doesn't get celebrated very often."
The Tasmanian event will be held at the Typewriter Factory in Hobart on June 1 and 2. For more information head to www.govhack.org.