Archived News for IT Professionals
Research conducted by the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) shows that Australians expect similar standards of content quality across all forms of media.
The Digital Australians – Expectations about media content in a converging media environment research report, examined the impact of increasing use of digital media on the attitudes and expectations about media content.
‘Regardless of delivery platform, familiar media brands are expected by most consumers to meet community standards for taste and decency,’ said ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman. ‘They also expect news stories from reputable news organisations to meet the same journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness, whether in print, broadcast, or online.’
Digital Local Government program released
The Federal Government has released the final program guidelines for the Digital Government Program, which will make funding available to councils in the first 40 communities in the National Broadband Network’s (NBN) rollout.
Telstra shareholders vote for handover
Telstra shareholders have voted in favour of the $11 billion deal that will see the company hand its fixed-line copper network to the National Broadband Network (NBN).
NBN Co releases 12 month construction outlook
The National Broadband Network Co (NBN Co) has released its inaugural 12-month construction outlook, detailing the rollout plan that is expected to cover more than half a million homes and buinsses across Australia.
Charles Sturt to launch IT doctorate
Charles Sturt University has launched a revised Doctor of Information Technology program in response to exponential growth of both the ICT industry and doctorate market.
IBM R&D lab launched to reduce impact of major disasters
The University of Melbourne has welcomed the new IBM Research and Development - Australia, which will help the community better prepare for and better cope with major natural disasters and lead to a more sustainable future.
Australia's cloud technology should be world-leading: report
Cloud computing technology in Australia has the potential to be world leading according to a Lateral Economics study.
ACCC vows to continue fight with Google
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has vowed to continue its ongoing legal dispute with Google after filing an appeal against a recent Federal Court decision in relation to advertisements on Google’s website.
Injunction blocks Samsung tablet
Apple has successfully blocked rival Samsung from selling its new Galaxy tablet in the Australian market after the courts found that the Galaxy 10.1 infringed on Apple’s patent rights.
Victoria announces broadband innovation funding
The Victorian Government has opened the second round of the Broadband-Enabled Innovation Program (BEIP), inviting applicants to apply for funding for projects that develop innovative broadband solutions to boost productivity.
Hays Quarterly Report finds strong demand for IT professionals
Recruitment specialist Hays has published its Quarterly Report – October 2011, finding that professionals with specific experience with Microsoft based software development top the list of skills in demand as job vacancies rise in many areas.
Report finds disability discrimination within ICT sector
Despite the ICT industry's role in developing technologies that enable people with disabilities to be accommodated in workplaces, the industry itself still discriminates against such people and is thus ignoring a large and potentially valuable pool of talent, a new report claims.
The report 'Disability and ICT: Re-think the Equation and Review the Opportunity', was produced by the Information Technology Contract & Recruitment Association (ICTRA).
According to the report: "While people with a disability form the largest section of the 'untapped' workforce, they are also the least likely to be included in an untapped workforce strategy by ICT recruiters in Australia and New Zealand and may have more hurdles to jump to access employment."
ICTRA CEO, Julie Mills, said: "People with disability form around 20 percent of the population and 10 percent of the workforce, and present a huge opportunity for companies struggling to improve workplace productivity and minimise skills shortages.
"Yet recruiters and employers often appear to discount accessing this group as a potential resource, instead focusing on other more publicised marginalised workers such as those returning to work after childbirth, indigenous workers or graduates."
An ICTRA survey of its members found that, of the half that had a diversity strategy, only 15 percent identified people with disability as a potential talent pool.
UWA joins supercomputing ranks
The University of Western Australia has purchased a new Fornax supercomputer that will allow UWA scientists to explore new, previously inaccessible areas of high-powered data research.
Neural Engineering Centre launches
The University of Melbourne has launched its new Centre for Neural Engineering, aimed at building a more complete understanding of the human brain and the diseases that effects the central nervous system.
Digital culture forum held
The Federal Government has conducted a forum in Sydney in an attempt form a strategy platform for how the government can best support, develop and export Australia’s digital arts and culture.
FTTH to outstrip ADSL by 2015
Research firm Telsyte has found that the National Broadband Network (NBN) direct fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) connections will exceed ADSL services by 2015, with an estimated three million connections in 2015 and 4.2 million by 2017.
Transfield Services secures Telstra contract
Transfield Services has secured a contract with Telstra to continue providing engineering services and upgrades to Telstra's exchange infrastructure assets across Australia.
DFAT IT contract goes to tender
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has released a request for tender (RFT) for a supplier to provide a comprehensive and integrated new system for issuing passports.
Mobile wireless connections more popular than DSL
The number of mobile wireless internet connections (excluding mobile handsets) exceeds the number of DSL connections in Australia for the first time, according to a report released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
At the end of June 2011, mobile wireless broadband (excluding mobile handsets) connections accounted for 44% of all internet connections. DSL connections account for 41% of all connections.
Overall, internet subscribers in Australia climbed 4.4% to 10.9 million in the six months to June 2011, up from 10.4 million in December 2010.
At the end of June 2011, there were 9.7 million mobile handset internet subscribers in Australia, an increase of 18.1% from December 2010.
Further information is available in Internet Activity, Australia
UTS partners with telecommunications giant to provide ICT training
The University of Technology Sydney has announced a partnership program with by telecommunications giant Alcatel-Lucent which will see a new ICT training program available at the university from the first semester of the 2012 education year.