ACS still beating digital economy drum in wake of budget

Peter Dinham
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 17:56

IT Industry - Market

Despite some prominence given to ICT issues in the budget, the Australian Computer Society (ACS) is yet again calling for the federal government to frame a strategy for developing Australia’s digital economy, which it clearly believes is a ‘golden egg’ just waiting to be hatched.

However, there’s no signs the government is taking much notice of the repeated calls by the ACS, over several months, for it to frame a national ICT strategy for developing the digital economy, although the society does acknowledge what it sees as a link in the budget between ICT investment and economic prosperity.

In yet another plea to the government, a day after it handed down its budget, the ACS says there’s still a need for a digital economy framework, which will support Australia’s core digital capabilities and strengths, as a blueprint for economic growth.

While the ACS says it’s pleased ICT issues have been given greater prominence in the budget, including greater acknowledgement of the link between ICT investment and economic prosperity, it maintains that bringing Australia’s digital economy to life will require both an “overall framework and specific plans built around core areas such as e-health, e-security and e-learning.”

ACS CEO Kim Denham says the government “ must develop appropriate policy, taxation, regulations and other support necessary for these areas to flourish.  It’s disappointing that some of these segments which may hold the greatest opportunity for our economy appear to be largely unaddressed within this year’s Budget.”

According to Denham, greater acknowledgement by the government of the link between ICT investment and economic prosperity is particularly evident within the announcements in the innovation area, where, she says, “the initial investment of $4.7 billion in our National Broadband Network (NBN) provides a significant boost to our sector and is critically important to the Australian community.”

“However, beyond this basic infrastructure, Australia is sitting on a golden egg when it comes to our digital economy.
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