Melbourne, 27 November; ACS Victoria congratulates the Andrews Labor Government on its 2018 election win. We look forward to working closely with the Government over the next 4 years to continue to build the capability and capacity of Victoria’s ICT industry.
ACS Australia’s Digital Pulse 2018 identified priority policy areas which will help build the Victorian digital economy into one that continues to lead the nation. These include a focus on cybersecurity, support for a stronger STEM ecosystem and aiding SME’s on their journey to digitise.
Cybercrime is estimated to cost Australians over $1 billion each year, and could be as high as $17 billion annually. As Australia’s digital economy grows – from $70 billion in 2014 to $139 billion by 2020 – increasing our pool of skilled cyber security professionals will be key to transforming our capabilities in this space. We also need to be raising awareness amongst Australians of the potential risks of the internet such as identity fraud, and educating them on how they might protect themselves online.
It is critical that we see changes in our education system and our approaches to workforce planning and training to ensure that STEM skills are strongly integrated into education and training curriculums in Victoria. Initiatives such as the opening of Tech Schools throughout Victoria, as well as the work being done by Launch Vic to link Victoria’s STEM infrastructure are positive steps in this area. To further progress the development of the STEM curriculum framework in Victoria a greater focus on the teaching of STEM skills, including resourcing schools to effectively teach STEM at k-12 level is required.
ACS Victoria acknowledges the resources that the Government have allocated to assisting Victorian Start-Ups within the last term. ACS Victoria believes that there is significant value in extending programs that teach and facilitate the application of ‘startup thinking’ to include small businesses that are pursuing a growth opportunity linked to ICT. The Victorian Government can play a key role as a catalyst in this area through the creation of policies and programs that enable small businesses to apply startup thinking to scale ICT and innovation globally.
Further Information
Adam Clarke
State Manager, ACS Victoria
M – 0447 324 628 E – Adam.Clarke@acs.org.au
About ACS
ACS is the professional association for Australia's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. More than 40,000 ACS members work in business, education, government and the community. ACS exists to create the environment and provide the opportunities for members and partners to succeed. ACS strives for ICT professionals to be recognised as drivers of innovation in our society, relevant across all sectors, and to promote the formulation of effective policies on ICT and related matters. Visit www.acs.org.au for more information.