Australian Ambassador Highlights Gorontalo’s Progress in Strengthening Local Governance through Data Innovation

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Rod Brazier, visited the Command Centre at the Gorontalo Governor’s Office on Tuesday, 22 October 2025. Accompanied by Governor of Gorontalo Gusnar Ismail, the Ambassador observed how the provincial government is using data and technology to support evidence-based decision-making. 

During the visit, the Ambassador viewed a presentation on regional development data consolidated through Gorontalo’s open data platform, known as Pentagon. The platform integrates datasets from all local government agencies (OPD – Organisasi Perangkat Daerah) across key sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, education, health and civil service resources. 

Ambassador Brazier praised the province’s data-driven approach. ‘The Gorontalo Provincial Government has shown strong commitment to using data for regional development. This is an important criterion in the partnerships we support,’ he said. He noted that Pentagon enables provincial leaders to make better decisions, backed by accurate and reliable data. 

Leadership Dashboard Drives Better Governance and Decision-Making 

The development of the dashboard and the Command Centre is an initiative led by the Gorontalo Provincial Government through the Office of Communications and Informatics (Kominfo–TIK), supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the national One Data for Subnational Government (SDPDN – Satu Data Pemerintahan Daerah) framework and monitoring of Presidential Priority Programs. Technical support is also provided by the Indonesia-Australia Partnership Program, SKALA (Synergies and Collaboration for Service Delivery Acceleration). This work is part of the province’s broader effort to strengthen administrative performance and governance by adopting Electronic-Based Government Systems (SPBE – Sistem Pemerintahan Berbasis Elektronic). 

A key innovation is the Executive Dashboard Application, which presents data visually, clearly, and comprehensively. Through the dashboard, the Governor, Deputy Governor and Regional Secretary can monitor real-time performance indicators, including priority program progress, budget realisation, performance achievements, local taxes and levies, investment trends, and public service information, such as bed availability at the Ainun Habibie Hospital. 

A major advantage of the system is its ability to simplify complex datasets into clear, easy-to-understand charts and infographics. Leaders can quickly identify trends, assess performance, and determine areas requiring immediate attention. This approach makes analysis more efficient and reduces the need for lengthy verbal explanations. 

Governor Gusnar Ismail emphasised that the Executive Dashboard and Command Centre represent a strategic step in strengthening governance.

‘With the Command Centre integrated with the Pentagon Open Data platform, public policy and service delivery in Gorontalo are increasingly grounded in precise data,’ he said. 

Beyond supporting decision-makers, the Pentagon platform also provides public access to aggregated data, reinforcing transparency and accountability within the Gorontalo Provincial Government. 

The Ambassador’s visit provided the Gorontalo Provincial Government with an important opportunity to showcase its progress in digital. His presence recognised Gorontalo’s advances in data innovation and strengthened the collaboration between the Governments of Indonesia and Australia in promoting transparent, effective and data-driven governance.