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Our vision

To contribute to the racing industry by stimulating innovation, research and improvement in the delivery in reducing the administrative burden and associated costs to the industry through open data.

Our commitment

To develop, implement and maintain a process to make our data available to the public, free to anyone who wishes to use it.

As an agency, our key commitments are:

  • To release as much data as possible.
  • To make data accessible and easy to find.
  • To publish data in line with the Open Data Policy Principles.
  • To maintain data as fit-for-the-purpose for which it was collected.

Our goals

Better services for Queenslanders through innovation, research and development of new data-enabled services and products by business and industry using government data.

Increased community participation in government decision making through improved access to government data and greater levels of interaction between policy-makers and the wider community.

A stronger knowledge economy by unlocking the social and economic value of government data through sound data infrastructure.

Evolving data sophistication and functionality through making use of advances in technologies as they become available.

Principles

Government data will be available for open use: Open access to government data drives innovation and entrepreneurial activities. Where appropriate, data will be made available under the least restrictive licence allowing for its use and re-use in accordance with the Australian Government Open Licensing framework.

Government data will be available free: Government data, collected using public monies, belongs to the community. Unless cost has been prescribed by legislation or benefits the Queensland community and is approved by Cabinet, data will be made available for free in the future.

Government data will be in accessible formats and easy to find: Publishing data in different formats offers maximum flexibility of user experience and access. Where practicable, we will publish data in machine readable formats that can be downloaded, indexed, and searched by commonly used web applications.

Government data will be released within set standards and accountabilities: As an agency, we hold a substantial amount of personal information about our clients that is not suitable for release. We will reduce risks associated with the public release of data by establishing a robust publication process to identify and protect personal and other confidential information in accordance with relevant legislative and other statutory and administrative frameworks.

As a commercial entity we hold a substantial amount of valuable information that is used to benefit the participants of the racing industry whose livelihood depends on our ability to return revenue to our industry. We will reduce risks associated with the public release of such data by establishing a robust publication process to identify and protect commercially valuable and confidential information in accordance with our business strategy and relationship and agreements with industry business partners, and other contractual agreements.

Our plan

We will facilitate better services for Queenslanders by:

Stimulating innovation

  • Creating opportunities by making data available, free for use and re-use in easily accessible and open formats by anyone who wishes to use it.
  • Prioritising datasets for release in consultation with industry, enterprises, researchers and the wider community.
  • Examining opportunities for partnerships with other organisations.

Supporting research

  • Promoting new research and new-types of research by publishing a diverse range of datasets.
  • Releasing contextual information about datasets to enable researchers to examine trends, analyse anomalies and draw conclusions.
  • Publishing time-series data to establish a greater depth of information for the research community.

Increasing government efficiency and performance

  • Creating a culture that supports the sharing of government data.
  • Facilitating greater scrutiny of the effectiveness of government policy.
  • Driving more efficient public services through more transparent performance monitoring.
  • Reducing red tape and streamlining processes for data sharing.

We will increase community participation in government decision making by:

  • Increasing awareness
  • Raising the profile of Open Data through social media and stakeholder engagement strategies.
  • Communicating the potential economic and social benefits created through the release of data.
  • Promoting participation in the knowledge economy by making data available on www.qld.gov.au/data.

Building trust

  • Demonstrating transparency by making data open by default.
  • Releasing data within set standards and in accordance with legislative protections (i.e. privacy).
  • Publishing data to the greatest level of granularity possible.
  • Being responsive to feedback and suggestions for new datasets.

We will build a stronger knowledge economy by:

  • Unlocking the value of data
  • Building on the foundations for a strong knowledge economy by providing sound data infrastructure.

We will support evolving data sophistication and functionality by:

  • Enabling data maturity
  • Refining Open Data processes to facilitate automated workflow.
  • Publishing data in variable formats and structured data feeds, where practicable.
  • Examining data collection methods to allow the release of real time data, where possible.
  • Keeping data processes under review, to improve the quality, volume and frequency of data release.
  • Collaborating with other agencies to release data in standardised forms.
  • Exploring opportunities to represent complex data through advanced charting and time series visualisations.
  • Embracing future technologies.

Our data

We collect, store and maintain a diverse range of datasets to establish and maintain the; policies, funding, licensing arrangements, Product and Program Agreement, and the safety and integrity of the racing industry. These datasets can be grouped into five main categories:

  • licensee details
  • race club details
  • racing information
  • prizemoney, fees and charges
  • horse and greyhound information.

1 Appendix 1: Types of data held by the agency

We will work with other agencies in the publication of corporate data relating to issues such as staffing, infrastructure and finance so that it can be compared across government.

Our release strategy

Our release strategy contains four main components:

Identification

We will proactively identify information assets by surveying authority publications and business systems for underlying data sources, gathering information from business units about stand-alone data collections and engaging with stakeholders about their needs and interests.

Assessment

We will assess the suitability of data for release in accordance with relevant legislation, administrative instruments, policies and guidelines.

The release of data will be prioritised according to its value to the public, such as allowing new products or services to be developed, increasing openness and transparency of government and its processes, and use by researchers or non-government organisations.

Not all data is suitable for release. The process of identifying and assessing data for publication acknowledges the need for it to be accessible to external audiences. Datasets subject to valid privacy, security or privilege limitations may be restricted or released in a modified form.

Publication

We will publish data in line with set standards and prioritised having regard to public interest; feedback from stakeholders; potential social or economic value; and ability to restore accountability in government, with the approval of the data owner.

Management

We will maintain datasets as fit-for-purpose, identify opportunities to improve data quality, seek feedback from data users and review our processes to ensure maximum efficiency.

Governance and accountability

The Director-General, Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing is responsible for the success of the agency's Open Data initiative by creating and sustaining an open data culture within the agency.

Execution of our Open Data Strategy will be governed by the agency's Executive Management Team, sponsored by the Chief Executive Officer.

Progress against the success criteria of the initiative will be reported in the Queensland Government rolling six month action plan to be prepared by the Department of
the Premier and Cabinet and overseen by the whole of government Open Data Reform Group (CEO Leadership Team).

This strategy is a four year forward plan to be reviewed annually. The agency will also provide  progress reports to the Open Data Reform Group as required.

Legislative and administrative framework

Implementation of the authorities Open Data Strategy will be managed in accordance with information management and publication provisions contained in relevant State and Federal legislation and administrative instruments.

The Open Data Strategy adheres to the policies, principles, procedures and artefacts underpinning the Queensland Government Enterprise Architecture 2.0 and is further guided by agency-specific procedures relating to the handling and release of information about our clients, services and outputs.

Ongoing monitoring and compliance with these principles will be undertaken as part of the authorities existing internal audit processes.

The future

Our commitment to Open Data will focus on data release driven by user need, monitored through public interaction and formalised in feedback processes designed to highlight areas for improvement.

In order to drive ongoing reform and deliver Open Data, we will embed the principles of open data in our relationships with non-government partners by:

  • Seeking to set specific transparency and information-sharing requirements in service and funding agreements with non-government agencies.
  • Examining opportunities to make adherence to this level of transparency a condition of receiving authority funding.

We will place emphasis on opportunities to improve data quality in the future by:

  • Building capability through professional development and guidance.
  • Continuing to support transparent decision making processes to ensure as much data is being released as possible.
  • Encouraging data users to provide feedback about usefulness, gaps and general satisfaction.
  • Reviewing data-related processes and addressing issues relating to timeliness, reliability, relevance and accuracy.

Appendix 1: Types of data held by the agency

The following table provides a snapshot of the different types of datasets held by the agency.

Note: Not all data collected by the agency is suitable for release due to privacy or confidentiality limitations. Datasets that may reasonably lead to the identification of an individual are not suitable for publication.

Types of data examples (snapshot only)

  • Race club details
    • Club details: name, location, contact details, visitor information
    • Club race meeting dates: date, status, deadlines, race names, race times, race distances, race classes, race
      conditions, race restrictions, race prize money, race fees, horse names, horse
      cloth numbers, horse barrier drawn, horse jockey name, horse jockey weight,
      horse trainer name
  • Racing information
    • Race meeting information: nominations, acceptances, weights, fields, form, gear changes, gear for
      display, results, shoe reports, scratchings and jockey alterations, stewards race
      day reports, stewards summaries
    • General information: premiership reports, bleeders report
    • Integrity information: TCO2 results, suspended jockeys, appeal results, Steward's reports.

Web services

Click here to access Racing Queensland's published web services.

Disclaimer

Racing Queensland provides these web services as a service to the general public and has taken care in compiling this information, however, it does not warrant its accuracy and will not be held liable for errors and omissions in the information provided. The information is provided for entertainment purposes only and Racing Queensland accepts no responsibility for any assumptions or financial decisions made on the basis of information contained in the web services.

Racing Queensland and its respective employees or agents shall accept no responsibility for injury, loss or damage occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting, as a result of, or in reliance on, information within these web services whether or not such injury, loss or damage is in any way due to any negligent act or omission, breach of duty or default on the part of Racing Queensland and its respective employees or agents.

Copyright

The information in these web services is provided free for use without copyright restriction under the laws of Australia and by International treaty.

The information in these web services is the intellectual property of Racing Queensland and the racing industry and Racing Queensland reserves the right to restrict access to these web services at any time at its sole discretion and furthermore may elect to charge a fee for the use of any information used for commercial purposes in order to benefit the racing industry, it's participants and stakeholders.

Dataset information

Select data available or click here for available datasets.

Dataset Description Custodian Target data of publishing Frequency of update Open Licence
Thoroughbred Club Data Race club data including scheduled meetings CIO Racing Queensland November 2013 As neededii Yes
Thoroughbred Racing Data Handicapping data including meeting and race data, horse nominations, acceptances, weights and race results CIO Racing Queensland November 2013 As neededii (daily) Yes
Harness Club Data Race club data including scheduled meetings CIO Racing Queensland November 2013 As neededii Yes
Harness Racing Data Handicapping data including meeting and race data, horse nominations, acceptances, weights and race results CIO Racing Queensland November 2013 As neededii (daily) Yes
Greyhound Racing Data Grading data including meeting and race data, greyhound nominations and grades, and race results CIO Racing Queensland November 2013 As neededii (daily) Yes

i Before data can be released with Creative Commons licence, an assessment must be completed to ensure the Agency has the legal rights to release with a Creative Commons licence.

ii These datasets are unlikely to change or change infrequently and updated versions will be released if a change occurs.

Glossary of terms

Data: Refers to number, letters, or pixels which are expressed in any form. Open Data is focused on the basic or 'raw' data that we collect, generate and store. When data is analysed, processed, organised, structured, or presented in a given context so as to make it meaningful, it becomes 'information'. In this sense, information is derived from data.

Dataset: A representation of data in a formalised manner, suitable for communication, interpretation or processing.

Information Asset: An information asset is an identifiable collection of data stored in any manner and recognised as having value for the purpose of enabling an agency to perform its business functions, thereby satisfying a recognised agency requirement.

Personal information: Information or an opinion, whether true or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion.

Statutory authority: As identified by the provisions outlined in Section 9 of the Financial Accountability Act 2009.