The Australian Information Industry Association has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) to develop and promote the digital economy in Australia.

 

The MoU was formally announced by Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy at an AIIA event in Sydney.

 

"The MoU we have signed with DBCDE is designed to increase participation at the local level and build closer relationships between business, government and community through engagement with the ICT industry,” said AIIA CEO Suzanne Campbell.

 

"That value won't simply arrive with the infrastructure. Small business and local communities need to engage closely with application providers and technology vendors to realise the benefits on offer. This is about productivity and growth in local economies through new applications and services. AIIA members have a strong contribution to make.”

 

The signing of the MoU comes after Google commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to conduct a study into the value of the Internet to the Australian economy, concluding that the Internet injects $50 billion in direct economic growth, while also fostering $80 billion in productivity gains and household gains.

 

The Memorandum follows the recent release of the National Digital Economy Strategy by DBCDE. Under the terms of the agreement, AIIA will work to develop a joint plan of action with government to drive ICT industry involvement in initiatives aligned to the eight key target areas outlined in the Strategy.

 

An initial focus of the MoU will be AIIA leading the involvement of vendors and providers of specialised applications and technologies for the Digital Hubs program, which will be set up in 40 of the earliest NBN release sites, to provide a hands-on experience of technology benefits.

 

Other work will include support for DBCDE in the development of strategies and initiatives across government departments and agencies as well as industry input on the development and implementation of policy related to the Digital Economy.

 

"According to the ABS, we've still got over a quarter of population barely using the Internet and approximately 75% of businesses have no way of taking online orders despite the accelerating trend of customers preferring to engage online. AIIA's initiative with government presents a genuine opportunity for the ICT industry to drive better outcomes in regional economies,” Ms Campbell concluded.