Media Release Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy Leader of the Government in the Senate Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity
Government taking action to achieve goal of Australia becoming a world- leading digital economy by 2020 The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today released "Advancing Australia as a Digital Economy An Update to the National Digital Economy Strategy", which lays out the next steps towards delivering the Governments vision for Australia to become a leading digital economy by 2020. The Update to the National Digital Economy Strategy (NDES) sets Australia on the path to a secure economic future beyond the resources boom, underpinned by our investment in the National Broadband Network. (snip) The 2011 NDES set eight goals, which together form a vision for Australia to be a vibrant, thriving, world-leading digital economy. The Update outlines 24 actions the Government will take to work towards the achievement of those goals. These actions include: Digital First a plan to have the vast majority of government services entirely online by the end of 2017. Digital Careers a development program for school students to help increase the number of Australians who have a career in information and communication technology. Promoting the adoption of cloud computing by government agencies and ensuring Australia is a trusted hub for data storage and processing. Reviewing the regulations around Employee Share Schemes and consulting on crowd-sourced equity funding to boost support for Australian tech start- ups; and Expanding the Digital Enterprise and Local Government Programs to support small businesses, not for profit organisations, and local governments to better engage with the digital economy. The Gillard Government has a vision for Australia to be a world-leading digital economy, which is underpinned by our investment in the National Broadband Network. The NBN will transform the delivery of services across education, health care, and aged care. But the Government must also play its part to support the community make the most of what the NBN will provide. Senator Conroy released the Update at the Digital Productivity Conference in Brisbane today. The Conference brings together experts from industry, government, academia and research and the not-for-profit sector to discuss Australias digital future and showcase the transformational change and opportunities high-speed broadband makes possible. The Update to the National Digital Economy Strategy can be found at: http://www.nbn.gov.au/nbn-benefits/national-digital-economy-strategy/ The Digital Productivity Conference is being webcast and can be found at www.nbn.gov.au/nbn-benefits/digital-productivity-conference Date: 12 June 2013. Contact: Adam Sims 0408 258 457 Commitments in the NDES Update: Action 1. Complete the development of a new curriculum for technologies The Australian Curriculum embeds ICT skills as a general capability across all learning areas of the curriculum. It will also include the subjects of Digital Technologies and Design Technologies, which all students will study from Foundation to Year 8. Action 2. Partner with industry to promote digital careers National ICT Australia will be funded to lead a consortium that will develop programs to promote careers in ICT skills to school students. Action 3. Expand the use of the Document Verification Service The Government will work with state and territory governments to enhance the accessibility, usability and efficiency of the Document Verification Service and also make the system more widely available to the private sector. Action 4. Investigate the use of trusted third-party credentials by government The Government will investigate the use of higher assurance digital credentials issued by commercial providers such as financial institutions and the use of existing digital credentials, including third party credentials. Action 5. Release the Digital Citizenship Best Practice Principles The Government will release the principles in the second half of 2013 and encourage Australians to practise digital citizenships core characteristics. Action 6. Develop the National Plan to Combat Cybercrime The Australian Government is working with state and territory governments to develop the National Plan to Combat Cybercrime, which outlines a strategic framework for how Australian governments will respond to the threat posed by cybercrime. The plan is expected to be released in mid 2013. Action 7. Review the regulatory arrangements for employee share schemes Government will review the tax treatment of employee share schemes and develop guidance to reduce the administrative burden of establishing such schemes. Action 8. Consult on an Australian crowd-sourced equity funding scheme The Government will develop a best practice framework for Crowd Sourced Equity Funding. Action 9. Minimise exemptions under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 The Government will review Electronic Transactions Regulations 2000 to remove outdated exceptions to Commonwealth electronic transaction legislation by December 2014. Action 10. Promoting the adoption of cloud computing in Australia To promote the smart adoption of cloud computing, the Government will: identify training and skills development across the public sector and ensure that agencies consider cloud services for relevant ICT procurements develop resources to assist small businesses, not-for-profit organisations and consumers acquire cloud services with confidence work in partnership with cloud vendors to promote Australia as a trusted hub for data storage and processing, and encourage foreign investment in cloud services. Action 11. Explore making the Geo-coded National Address File (G-NAF) a freely available data set Government will explore options for providing open access to the G-NAF, including an analysis of the legal, financial and security implications. Action 12. Release the Big Data strategy The Government will release its Big Data Strategy in 2013, and continue to support the Data Analytics Centre of Excellence. Action 13. Implement the Digital First initiative Under Digital First, by December 2017, Government agencies will provide their clients with user-friendly online access to priority services, allowing end-to-end processing for those services through a choice of a single authentication method that enables access to a range of services without needing multiple passwords and/or multiple tests of credentials. Action 14. Boost the Keeping Seniors Connected program The Government will provide senior Australians with free access to the latest technology and to training that will educate seniors on issues of particular concern to them, such as cybersecurity and cybersafety. Action 15. Expand the Digital Enterprise program and develop industry specific digital business kits The Government will expand the Digital Enterprise program and develop industry specific digital business kits to provide small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and the not-for-profit sector with resources to better engage with the digital economy. Action 16. Consideration of expansion of the Medicare Benefits Schedule for telehealth items The Government will undertake a review in 2013 to determine the costs and benefits of an expanded range of MBS telehealth items to include patients participating in video based consultations with their GP. Action 17. Evaluate outcomes from telehealth trials and develop action plans to address key challenges During 2014-15, the Government will evaluate the current telehealth trials, share trial findings and lessons with the healthcare community, and use the findings to develop action plans to address key telehealth issues Action 18. Implement video consultation for the after-hours GP Helpline and the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline >From the second half of 2013, the Government will commence a phased implementation of video-consultation capability starting with the after- hours GP Helpline and the 24 hour Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline. Action 19. Support increased use of digital platforms to provide aged care services The Government will introduce a range of reforms such as: revision of relevant aged care program guidelines to recognise and encourage the use of innovative and digital delivery options for the provision of aged care services expansion of the Community Visitors Scheme into home care including through the use of technology launch the My Aged Care website to provide coordinated information for aged care services. Action 20. Encourage access to virtual classes for vocational education and training (VET) students The Government will work with the states and territories to promote virtual delivery of VET. Action 21. Conduct an annual National Telework Week The Government will conduct an annual National Telework Week to promote the benefits of telework and facilitate the take-up of telework. Action 22. Facilitate more efficient use of rail infrastructure The Government will collaborate with mainland state governments to develop a single national spectrum allocation for interoperable train communication systems in metropolitan and regional areas. Action 23. Expand the Digital Local Government program The Government will extend the Digital Local Government program to enable around 15 additional local councils, including many in regional areas, to take advantage of the NBN to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the services they deliver. Action 24. Provide free wi-fi access to remote Indigenous communities The Government will progressively adapt community satellite telephones to provide public Wi-Fi services to remote Indigenous communities. -- Cheers, Stephen
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