The ceo of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), Ian Birks told iTWire; “There’s not an awful lot in this budget for our industry.” However he acknowledged that there could be some programmes in other sectors which would have a residual flow on effect for ICT companies given the foundation role that information systems play in all modern businesses.
He nevertheless believed the 2011-12 Budget delivered a “solid platform” particularly in terms of continued support for the National Broadband Network and e-health initiatives.
Mr Birks said that there would probably be more meat in the release of the Digital Economy Strategy which was expected from Senator Conroy later this month.
While acknowledging some of the skills initiatives announced in the Budget, Mr Birks said he was disappointed that the focus on rural and regional Australia in terms of skilled migration programmes, would not meet the needs of the ICT sector which was concentrated in metropolitan areas.
The Government has announced it will allocate 16,000 skilled migration places (essentially workers on 457 visas) to the regions, and fast track the permanent residency applications for 457 visa holders who have spent more than two years in the regions.
“While rural and regional areas are important they are not typically were the skills shortages are in our industry,” said Mr Birks. He said he would have preferred to see a programme which allowed more skilled migration into the cities to help industry tackle ICT skills shortages.
While the ICT sector has not been a focus for this year’s Budget, Mr Birks did point to three programmes which he felt showed that the Government was making progress in terms of harnessing information technology and communications more effectively.
He said that the Tell Us Once programme being initiated by the Department of Finance, which allowed people to provide their details once to the Government, and then opt to have those made available to other Government departments automatically was a “small thing, but points to better citizen engagement.”
Mr Birks also pointed to an Attorney General led initiative to provide regional legal assistance via video links. That he said could potentially be extended following the roll out of the NBN.
The Government should also be applauded for the four year extension of the Broadband for Seniors progamme according to Mr Birks.
Separately Graham Sammells, CEO of superannuation consultancy, The IQ Business Group welcomed the Government’s planned investment in ICT at the ATO. “It looks pleasing that the budget is recognising the need for the ATO to make ‘significant capital investments in systems and software to improve the integrity and flexibility of the superannuation business systems’.
“I expect that much of this investment will support the Government Stronger Super recommendations, and SuperStream in particular,” said Mr Sammells.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Beverley Head
Quelle/Source: iTWire, 10.05.2011
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