Feds form ICT advisory board
"The board's first task is to assist in the ICT Priority Setting process to identify key areas where Australia is conducting world leading research, and how these areas could be maximised for greater commercial advantage," Senator Helen Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, said.
The members hail from a variety of backgrounds including research, education and the commercial sector. They include Dr Alex Zelinsky, CSIRO ICT Centre director; Dan Phillips, Macquarie Bank director; Professor John Rosenberg, and Deakin University deputy vice chancellor (Academic).
Senator Coonan said the board is only an -additional source of advice" as the federal government will continue to canvass feedback from industry associations such as the Australian Computer Society and Australian Information Industry Association.
In making the announcement at CeBIT 2005 today, she challenged the industry to -put forward some strategic thinking" on how ICT can contribute to solving national challenges such as encouraging more Australians back into the workforce, improving the delivery of government services, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare, and national security.
Editor's note: Further coverage on CeBIT 2005 can be found here.