Your chance to shape Australia's digital future

Stuart Corner
Friday, 19 December 2008 06:37

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

Australia's minister for broadband, communications and the digital economy, senator Stephen Conroy, has called for any interested Australians to help shape Australia's digital future,  with the release of a consultation paper on the future directions of Australia's digital economy.

"This draft paper identifies the themes and suggestions to drive Australia's digital economy raised through our initial consultations," Conroy said. "The Rudd Government wants to engage with all interested parties on the future of Australia's digital economy."

The government is planning to issue a Digital Economy Future Directions Paper sometime in 2009. Conroy said it would "oultine the opportunities and challenges posed by the digital economy and the potential roles of government, industry and others in ensuring Australia gains maximum benefit."

According to the department's web site the consultation document "is not a draft of the final future directions paper, but seeks targeted input on specific implementation steps for maximising the benefits to Australia from the digital economy....[It] aims to identify the themes and suggestions that will inform the action plan of the future directions paper."

In its introduction the draft document explains that the Future Directions paper will: "describe the nature of the digital economy, the benefit it offers Australians and [will] include a series of case studies with examples of Australians using the Internet in innovative ways."

It will also "describe the respective roles of government, industry and other stakeholders in maximising these benefits and opportunities from the Australian Government's existing commitments to facilitate the digital economy.

Release of the draft follow the launch earlier this month of the Government's first trial online consultation via the Digital Economy Blog.