DBCDE co-ops AIIA to implement National Digital Economy Strategy

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 03 August 2011 17:19

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) to develop and promote the digital economy in Australia

The MoU was announced by senator Stephen Conroy, minister for broadband, communications and the digital economy at an AIIA event in Sydney today. It is the latest stage in AIIA's close involvement with the National Digital Economy Strategy since its inception.

Conroy announced plans for the strategy at an AIIA lunch in Melbourne just over a year ago. In March he and prime minister Julia Gillard announced that the strategy would be released in May, which Conroy did at CeBit in Sydney, shortly after the AIIA had given it a plug by calling on the IT industry and all levels of government to become actively involved with the digital economy opportunities that it expected to emerge from the strategy.

Under the terms of the agreement - which the AIIA said was "not a final agreement" - AIIA will "work to develop a joint plan of action with government to drive ICT industry involvement in initiatives aligned to the eight key target areas outlined in the strategy."

AIIA said that an initial focus of the MoU would see the AIIA leading the involvement of vendors and providers of specialised applications and technologies for the Digital Hubs program, which will be set up in 40 of the earliest NBN release sites, to provide a hands-on experience of technology benefits.

Other work will include support for DBCDE in the development of strategies and initiatives across government departments and agencies as well as industry input on the development and implementation of policy related to the Digital Economy.

Newly appointed AIIA CEO, Suzanne Campbell, said: "As the NBN rolls out, it is very important that we take active steps as a nation to create the value promised by high-speed broadband infrastructure in Australia.

"That value won't simply arrive with the infrastructure. Small business and local communities need to engage closely with application providers and technology vendors to realise the benefits on offer. This is about productivity and growth in local economies through new applications and services. AIIA members have a strong contribution to make.

"The MoU we have signed with DBCDE is designed to increase participation at the local level and build closer relationships between business, government and community through engagement with the ICT industry," Campbell said.