Future Driven
Future Driven
In November 2001, the Victorian Government produced a 10-year plan for the State's ICT industry with a view to making Victoria a technology powerhouse. Now, three years on, it is evaluating the plan and is counting on the assistance of around 5000 ICT businesses, organisations and other stakeholders to help it do so. Stuart Finlayson talks to Victoria's ICT Minister, Marsha Thomson to find out what progress has been made and what the Bracks Government hopes to achieve in the remainder of the plan's lifespan.
In what appears to be a time of renewed vigour within the ICT industry in Australia as a whole, with various reports all indicating a sharp increase in the number of available jobs in the sector across the different states, it seems appropriate that the Victorian Government has chosen this moment to revisit its 10 year plan for the ICT industry.
Victoria's ICT Minister, Marsha Thomson believes the time is right to evaluate how the State's ICT industry is performing, with a progress report on the Growing Tomorrow's Industries Today plan a central component of the review.
"The ICT landscape, both locally and internationally, has gone through such dramatic changes over the past three years that we are keen to make sure that the policy frame-work we set to grow the local ICT industry is still on track."
But in an industry such as ICT which is constantly evolving, isn't it unrealistic to project where Victoria will be, or indeed where it should be, in terms of its standing in the ICT industry, in five years, let alone ten years?
"The ICT industry is one of the fastest changing industries around and it is important to regularly take stock of your position and the direction you are heading," acknowledges Thomson. "However," she adds, "it is important to have a long term vision and solid principles to guide you there. We stand by our long term vision and are doing this review to look at our progress and how we may refine the way we can realise that vision. We also want to encourage industry to be an active participant in realising that vision." The Victorian Government has sent an Issues Paper to a broad audience composed not only of organisations in the ICT industry itself, but stakeholders in research and educational institutions and others concerned in the development of the local ICT industry.
Comments have been sought on the ICT Industry Plan directly from more than 5,000 organisations, including individual companies, industry associations, business networks and educational institutions, while industry associations and other networks have been encouraged to send the Issues Paper to their members.
"The ICT Industry Plan Issues Paper is not intended to be either comprehensive or definitive, but rather to stimulate debate and feedback on the key challenges facing the ICT industry in the short, medium and long term," explains Thomson.
The Issues Paper has been noted on a range of Victorian Government websites, including Victoria Online, the primary entry to government information and services, and the Multimedia Victoria website, with a series of round table discussions also being held with industry leaders as part of the consultation process. It covers topics such as globalisation, skills, research and development, investment, exports, and communications infrastructure.
"Submissions will be used to assist the Government to report on the progress against Growing Tomorrow's Industries Today and to determine whether changes should be made to policy or initiatives," says Thomson.
But what are its aims?
According to Thomson, the plan has within it four key principles that form the framework on which to "deliver the vision of Victoria being a globally recognised ICT development location by 2010." They are:
• ICT Ecosystem: getting in place the fundamental elements that support and grow the ICT industry-the people, the innovation, the business base and communications infrastructure.
• Clusters of Excellence: identifying and promoting the clusters of firms within the industry that provide Victoria with global strength and sustainable competitive advantage (four key sub-sectors-telecommunications, interactive applications, development of creative content and specialist ICT manufacturing were identified as sectors in which Victoria has competitive strength.).
• Emerging ICT Industry Clusters: the proactive identification and support for emerging technologies and market opportunities where Victoria can develop strengths and advantages.
• Cross Sectoral-ICT and Other Key Victorian Industries: ensuring key Victorian industries are at the forefront in leveraging the benefits from the use of existing and new ICT goods and services.
"These principles have assisted in providing a focus for the Bracks Government's ICT industry development programs over the last three years, such as the trade fairs and missions programs, support for emerging ICT industry clusters, ICT career development programs and the $1M CMMi accreditation assistance program," states Thomson.The deadline for submissions was October 22nd.
The Victorian hopes to complete its evaluation of the submissions and have adjustments in place (if any are deemed necessary) by early next year.
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