Vic Govt sets frenetic pace with IT sector focus

Peter Dinham
Thursday, 24 November 2011 18:13

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

The Victorian Government is seemingly frenetic at the moment as it pursues its goal of establishing Victoria as Australia's technology hub, trotting out announcement after announcement about new initiatives, or investment in the state, by ICT companies. And, New South Wales is up there too, competing vigorously with its Victorian rival and, for that matter, every other state or territory.

Of course all governments are apt to gild the lilly, and not all so-called new inititatives or announcements are 'new' in the strictest sense. Nevertheless the Victorian Government, and its New South Wales counterpart, are out there in the market touting their own state's ICT credentials as a place to invest and do business.

State rivalry is as healthy and vigorous as ever across Australia, in particular between our two biggest ICT markets of Sydney and Melbourne - along with Canberra and the government sector - and that can only benefit the ICT industry. And, other states and territories are pushing their credentials, which makes for a vigorous and prosperous ICT sector with economic benefits to the country.

Only yesterday, the Victorian Government lauded the impending investment and expansion in Victoria by professional services firm, Cordelta, which has committed to creating 50 new jobs in the state by the end of 2013, saying it was a 'significant boost to the Victorian economy and the state's reputation as a dynamic technology hub.'

And, yesterday's Cordelta announcement followed others by the government of initiatives to encourage technology-related investments in the state, including its success in already attracting the Asia-Pacific headquarters of Attachmate and Zendesk, the Australian headquarters of VanceInfo and the establishment of the Australian Broadband Applications Laboratory.

Preceding those announcements was the release of Victoria's Technology Plan for the Future - Information and Communication Technology - an $85 million plan to promote ICT-enabled innovation and support the growth of internationally competitive and recognised ICT businesses.

Today, the Minister for Innovation, Gordon Rich-Phillips, opened the Victorian Government's $15 million Health Market Validation Program (MVP), a program where healthcare challenges will be put to the small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) market for solutions.

'We want health agencies to provide us with healthcare challenges that could be solved with technology,' the Minister said.

'Clinicians, nurses, hospitals, aged care services, dental services and community health providers are encouraged to submit ideas on how technology might help patients and improve productivity in healthcare.'

Under the MVP announced today, in the first instance up to $100,000 will be available for feasibility studies to investigate the viability of a proposed solution, and the Minister says that projects will then be assessed for further funding of up to $1.5 million to develop the technology and undertake validation activities.

According to the Minister, the Health MVP is aimed at encouraging 'demand-driven innovation in Victoria's healthcare system, ultimately providing an economic benefit to Victoria.'

'This competitive grants program is designed to unearth innovative healthcare solutions, support small and medium enterprises, and strengthen Victorian health agencies,' Mr Rich-Phillips said.

Under the grants scheme, Victorian health-focused public sector-controlled entities have until Tuesday 31 January 2012 to submit their technology requirement specifications, and SMEs can register their interest in participating in the program through the Health MVP website.