Archived News for IT Professionals - July, 2012
The Western Australian Government has partnered with Australian crowdfunding platform Pozible, to launch the ‘3 to 1’ initiative - an incentivised fundraising program to make up to $250,000 available for WA digital projects.
Culture and Arts Minister John the ‘3 to1’ initiative will inspire digital creators to be entrepreneurial about how they raise capital for their production budget, as well as capture the interest of their audiences at the outset of their creative process.
“Creative teams will need to attract contributions online from individuals to secure the ScreenWest grant. This will in effect quadruple their production budget.”
Instead of the more traditional grant allocation, the ‘3 to 1’ initiative will see ScreenWest treble those funds raised by successful Western Australian creative teams.
This means for every dollar teams raise through online crowdfunding, ScreenWest will contribute a further three dollars to the budget, from a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum contribution of $150,000, (meaning creative teams must crowdfund between $5,000 and $50,000 respectively).
The program will support professional narrative-driven screen-content for digital platforms that is not reliant on a television broadcast or film distribution outcome.
Projects can be drama or documentary, traditional short form or challenge convention with interactivity and user generated content, but they must be delivered on at least one digital platform.
More information is at http://www.screenwest.wa.gov.au
ICT Literacy Report released
The 2011 National Assessment Program in ICT (NAP – ICT) Literacy Report has been released, providing an overview of how Australian students are performing in the digital age.
Local governments funded for NBN uptake
Federal funding totalling $5 million has been announced to help 14 local governments take advantage of the National Broadband Network.
NSW Trade and Investment signs up for SAP operational systems
NSW Trade and Investment has signed a $14.5 million, three-year agreement with German business software company SAP to use its ByDesign software, hosted on a German server, to run finance, human resources and payroll functions for 16 member agencies. The agreement will eventually see ByDesign taken up by up to 8500 users, and SAP says it is the largest roll-out of ByDesign world-wide.
Survey of business cybercrime impacts launched
CERT Australia has launched a survey of Australian business to get a better picture of how cyber incidents affect business and the Australian economy.
ICT labour market contracts
“The growing split between contract roles and permanent positions is a function of a nervous market being affected by global economic uncertainty. Many companies are reluctant to hire permanently in this environment, and continue to look for contractors for most ICT projects,” said Ms Mills.
ACCC green lights Optus/NBN deal
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced it has authorised the agreement between NBN Co and Optus for the migration of Optus’ HFC subscribers to the NBN and decommissions parts of the company’s HFC network.
New supercomputer to support WA radio telescopes
A new $33 million supercomputer is to be installed at the Pawsey Centre in Perth with Cray Inc leading a group of five supercomputing suppliers to build the supercomputer.
Australia slips below broadband average as Government calls for action
Australia has slipped below the OECD average for broadband and wireless distribution, with the country recording 24 subscribers per 100 inhabitants, finishing at 21st out of 34.
Australian Innovation Challenge open for entries
Innovative individuals and projects across seven fields have an opportunity to secure cash prizes and national recognition as part of the Australian Innovation Challenge, an initiative of The Australian newspaper in association with Shell Australia.
CHOICE hits out at price discrimination
Consumer advocacy group CHOICE has released damming findings that show Australian consumers pay in excess of 50 per cent more for a variety of electronic goods and services.
Commbank rolls out POS suite
The Commonwealth Bank has unveiled its new point-of-sale (POS) system, including the release of its new Albert touch screen omni-commerce device which will run the bank’s new CommBank Pi software platform system.
Australian Broadband Services announces board appointment
Australian Broadband Services (AusBBS) has announced the appointment of Ian McGregor as non executive Chairman and Andrew Kent as non executive Director and technology strategy advisor.
EFA hits out at surveillance proposals
Digital rights lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) has expressed its deep concern over the proposed changes to National Security legislation, which it says if passed, will implement a culture of surveillance akin to Iran or China.
IT price inquiry to hold first meeting
The Standing committee on Infrastructure and Communications has announced it will hold its first public hearing into the investigation into IT pricing in Australia in Sydney on 30 July.
Melbourne gets first NBN enabled cafe
Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has taken time out of his busy schedule to open Melbourne’s first NBN enabled cafe in Brunswick, in Melbourne’s north.
Australia signs Satellite deal
The Federal Government has announced Australia is now an international collaborator with the United States satellite mission, under an agreement signed with the United States Geological Survey.
Funding for silicon carbide super chips
Griffith University's Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre has been awarded $1 million in research funding by the State government to develop production processes for a silicon carbide microchip.
Government announces next round of remote broadband contracts
The Federal Government has announced the next round of high-speed satellite and fixed wireless broadband contracts for regional and remote Australia.
Melbourne to host computer science curriculum workshop
The University of Melbourne has announced it will be hosted a select group of teachers from across Victoria who will be attending a workshop aimed at creating a new secondary school curriculum based on computer science.
ACMA gives new telco protection code the nod
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has agreed to register the new Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code, which will aim to give ‘long-suffering telco customers’ greater protection on issues such as bill shock, confusing mobile plans and poo complaints handling.