Victoria reviews 10-year ICT plan

In November 2001, the government launched a plan to make Victoria a global ICT hotspot by 2010. The ICT industry plan -- Growing Tomorrow's Industries Today -- builds on existing strengths and emerging opportunities in telecommunications, creative content development, specialist ICT manufacturing and interactive applications.

The plan also looks at developing the right environment for growth which includes the right people, the right companies, effective innovations systems and quality communications infrastructure.

Victorian minister for ICT, Marsha Thomson, said that after three years, it was time to evaluate how the state's ICT industry was tracking and to undertake a progress report on the plan.

"While the government is performing well against the short term targets set in the ICT industry plan, it is important to ensure that the longer term targets and directions remain appropriate," Thomson said.

"The ICT landscape both locally and internationally has gone through such dramatic changes over the past three years, we are keen to make sure that that the policy framework we set to grow the local ICT industry is still on track," she added.

Thomson clarified that the ICT industry plan issues paper is not intended to be either comprehensive or definitive but rather "to stimulate debate and feedback on the key challenges facing the ICT industry in the short, medium and long term."

Submissions will be used to assist the Victorian government to determine whether changes should be made to policy or initiatives.

"The ICT Industry Plan Issues Paper is being circulated widely to ensure that the progress report benefits from a broad cross-section of comments from stakeholders. All the major players in the ICT industry including ICT firms, the education sector, the R&D sector and major ICT purchasers will all have the chance to contribute," said Thomson.

'Growing Tomorrow's Industries Today' is the result of 12 months' work between the Victorian government and the state's ICT industry.

A key part of this collaboration was the establishment of the ICT Advisory Group (ICTAG) which provided strategic advice and expertise. More than 100 ICT companies were consulted about the plan or responded to the issues paper in May 2001.