Vic Government funds CeBIT delegation, criticises Feds' "neglect"

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 07 March 2006 10:16

IT Industry - Strategy

Victoria's minister for communication and information technology, Marsha Thomson, has announced that 21 Victorian ICT companies will attend CeBIT Hannover – the world's largest ICT congress – later this month thanks to funding through the Victorian Government's revamped ICT Trade Events and Exports Assistance Program.

Eight Victorian ICT companies will be exhibiting at the trade show, with the Victorian Government also providing space for two interstate ICT organisations to display their products and services in the stand alongside their Victorian counterparts. The remaining companies are attending CeBIT to network.

"Together the companies will be exhibiting at an 'Australia' stand – with Victoria the only government lending this contingent any financial support," Thomson said. "We are the only government in Australia sending a trade mission to CeBIT Hannover 2006, where over half a million international visitors are expected to attend."

She accused the Federal Government of "neglect[ing] the growth of this vital sector by failing to provide adequate support to its companies that want to expand their businesses overseas."

She claimed that Victorian companies attending CeBIT since 2001 hadseen real growth in their business, "estimating additional sales of more than $50 million as a direct result of the participation in this event."