National Digital Economy Strategy key to Budget's IT outcomes, says AIIA

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 11 May 2011 12:42

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

The AIIA says the National Digital Economy Strategy, due later this month, will be crucial to translating budget initiatives into tangible benefits. However this document seems to have been produced with minimal consultation: Communications Alliance, for one was not involved.

The AIIA has welcomed the Budget saying it provides a solid foundation for the development of the digital economy. AIIA CEO, Ian Birks, said: "There are some good smaller commitments in this budget that focus on citizen engagement and building community confidence, however we need to deliver much more. We will now be looking to the release of the National Digital Economy Strategy later this month to see whether it will provide the right impetus to develop [a] globally leading digital economy in Australia."

Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton told a Network Insights seminar on Convergence this week: ""This [release of the National Digital Economy Strategy] is a big event. We have $43b riding on this because the NBN alone will not deliver us a vibrant national future'¦Without a strategy and a focus on the application and services layer we will not derive the benefits we deserve from the NBN.

He added: "We are told the strategy will draw on the Digital Economy Future Directions paper from July 2009, the Realising Our Broadband Future Summit of December that year and the Digital Productivity Initiative that prime minister Gillard announced just after the election.

However when asked what involvement Communications Alliance had had in its development, Stanton said: "I have had absolutely zero involvement despite knocking on numerous doors numerous times, and I can't find anyone else who has been involved."

iTWire has twice commented on the apparent low profile http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/cornered/46175 and lack of consultation http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/cornered/4696 given to what should he an extremely important document.

Conroy announced plans for the strategy at an AIIA lunch in mid 2010, and in AIIA's response to the Budget, Birks said: "We need a strategy that measures our progress, provides clear targets and sets out to understand the real implications of a digital economy in the Australian context. In the past, AIIA has called for the coordination of metrics at a national level and increased funding for research on the benefits of a digital economy in Australia. We believe this is the right approach.

"And finally, we need to focus on education and awareness campaigns that actively engage businesses and the community in the opportunities that broadband will deliver," concluded Mr Birks. "We cannot realise the benefits without active participation."

There are suggestions that Conroy will unveil the strategy in the speech he is scheduled to give at the CeBiT IT event in Sydney on 31 May.