$308 million boost for Aussie ICT
$308 million boost for Aussie ICT
The Australian government has promised to invest this substantial amount of money into ICT so that the nation continues to thrive as an information based economy.
This is part of the $5.3 billion "BackingAustralia's Ability-Building Our Future Through Science and Innovation" package announced today by John Howard.
The aim of the package is to provide Australia with the best chance of harnessing emerging technologies and remaining globally competitive.
Daryl Williams, the Minister for Communications Information Technology and the Arts, said. "National ICT Australia Ltd is addressing an identified weakness in long-term strategic ICT research by developing first class ICT research, fostering the development of networks between ICT researchers and industry, increasing the availability of high quality research and skills and growing Australia's ability to create and exploit ICT for national benefit.
"'BackingAustralia's Ability-Building Our Future Through Science and Innovation' will maintain NICTA's funding at the 2005-2006 level, providing the support for the organisation to achieve its goal of being a world-scale, leading edge strategic research institution and bolster Australia's competitive advantage in ICT."
This new innovative package includes a $251 million extension of funding for the national ICT centre of excellence and a $57 million increase in funding for the ICT Incubators and Advanced Networks Programs (ANP), previously funded under the Building on IT Strengths (BITS) program.
The Incubators Program helps start-up ICT companies with services such as seed capital, business coaching and advice, mentoring and introductions to broader industry and financing networks.
The ANP supports higher capacity companies and experimental networks with research and development capabilities of network technologies and applications, such as e-health, e-science and film post-production.
The ANP has already linked research institutions together in Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane, which is the first network of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
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