ICT fared strongly in the 2009 budget with a number of portfolios announcing initiatives to complement the Government’s investment in a national broadband network. This was the theme of my recent presentation to CeBIT ’09: policies that will really optimise the economic and social platform the nbn will provide in the future.
I was particularly pleased to hear Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner say on Q&A on the night of the budget reply (Thursday after the budget) say yet again that the Government views the nbn as essential economic infrastructure. He also provided a video presentation to CebIT earlier in the week where he drew attention to the impact of the Gershon Review on government ICT procurement. The two web 2.0 government initiatives he mentioned were Maxine McKew’s childcare consultations and Stephen Conroy’s Future Direction of the Digital Economy online consultations and blog.
Back on May 5, 2009 Senator Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and research, announced a new ICT Innovation Council. The purpose of which includes promoting the IT industry sector in its own right, and as an enabler of innovation, productivity and sustainable development for the economy as a whole. This has been followed up comprehensively in the budget with Powering Ideas: an innovation agenda for the 21st century. This document responds at least in part to the recommendations contained in the Cutler Review of Australian Innovation Systems, titled Venturous Australia (pdf).
It is really important that industry policy shapes up for the ICT sector given it is innovation here in Australia that will drive the digital economy on the nbn. I want to make sure that Australian-grown companies and jobs are in the strongest position possible to grow and export on the strong foundation that the nbn will provide.
Senator Conroy, Minister for Broadband, communication and the digital economy, addressed CeBIT on my favourite policy, the nbn. He chose to focus on the synergistic benefits the nbn will bring to industries that exist now, and those which will grow in the future. As part of the budget, he also outlined where the nbn was up to. There was also a terrific announcement about smart grid investment.
The investment in the ABC was really welcome as the production of local content is always going to be important for our digital future.
There was comprehensive ICT budget reporting by ZDnet which was really helpful. I note the mixed reaction by the industry sector to the budget so let me know what you think.
3 Comments
Reply | Subscribe
Some links of interest:
Innovation Policy Update:
http://mjassociates.com.au/mja-update/budget-2009-innovation-policy-announced/
Interview with Kris Gale:
http://mjassociates.com.au/mja-update/budget-2009-interview-with-kris-gale/
Thanks very much for the link to our posts on the R&D tax credit.
This is going to be a really big form of support for ICT juniors in Australia. The process of getting to a working program and avoiding some of the issues for software/web companies with the current R&D tax concession will be interesting.
Are you going to contribute to that process?
I am going to be involved with a local ICT meeting thorugh the ICT working group of the Canberra Business Council sometime in July. That is potentially a good forum to raise these issues at some level of detail. In the meantime, we are also looking at an ICT industry growth focussed public sphere idea for a few months down the track so keep an eye out. I will certainly let you know.