Senator the Hon Helen Coonan

Minister for Communications,

Information Technology

and the Arts

Supporting Australian innovation and enterprise

Address to the 2005 Consensus Software Awards Gala Dinner

Sydney

Thursday 21 April 2005

Thank you Julian [Day, Managing Director, Consensus]

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, it is pleasure to be here tonight.

I want to congratulate all of the nominees and finalists in the 2005 Consensus Software Awards—you can all be very proud of your achievements and your success so far.

I know that many of you here tonight have committed yourselves to the pursuit of excellence and along the way things might not have gone according to plan but you persisted.

And as a finalist here tonight – that persistence is paying off.

Opportunities for Award winners

When I look at the list of finalists it brings home quite clearly that your creativity, imagination and can-do attitude to provide software solutions, stretches across each and every industry sector in Australia.

Whether you provide software solutions for a multinational, small business, community group or local hospital your innovations contribute enormously to helping these organisations get on with the job.

The finalists who take home an award tonight can be justly proud of their success and while it might seem that an award is the culmination of a lot of hard work it will also mark the beginning.

If previous award winners are anything to go by, many companies here tonight will find that doors will open up for them locally, nationally and internationally.

Free Trade Agreement roadshows

International markets are increasingly important for Australian ICT wares.

The Australian Government is committed to supporting Australian ICT industry participation in the global ICT trade market.

Many of you here tonight will be looking at the big picture too.

At the last election, the Government committed funding of $25 million to help Australian exporters reap the rewards of free trade agreements with the United States, Singapore and Thailand.

In May 2005, Austrade with my department—Communications, Information Technology and the Arts—will take a Free Trade Agreement roadshow to Australia’s ICT companies around the nation.

In-market experts from the United States, Singapore and Thailand will talk about emerging market opportunities and how to do business under the FTAs.

This will be an ideal opportunity to listen to experts from these countries as well as have a one-on-one consultation.

I would strongly urge you to take advantage of this opportunity.

Austrade works with the major ICT industry associations and the State governments to invite current and potential exporters to activities such as the FTA roadshow seminars.

Austrade has an IT portal on its website, which has the facility for interested companies to register for specific Austrade events running both overseas and within Australia or to subscribe to its monthly newsletter. ‘IT Export Update’, is designed to provide you with the latest advice on export related news and events.

I would encourage you to visit the IT portal on the Austrade website, to take advantage of the opportunity to register for the FTA roadshows or to receive information on Austrade's ongoing program of events.

Export Facilitators and Business Development Managers

The free trade agreements with the United States, Singapore and Thailand present an important opportunity for Australian exporters to access international markets as a preferred trading partner.

The Australian Government has a role in promoting Australian capability in these markets and, through Austrade, has engaged 30 new Export Facilitators and Business development Managers to work specifically on the United States markets.

As part of this initiative, the Austrade USA Technology Team will increase the number of ICT specialist Business Development Managers from three to six.

This expands its long-established technology presence in San Francisco, New York and Washington DC into the other key centres of Austin, Los Angeles and Seattle.

The Australian-United States FTA negotiated by the Australian Government provides outcomes for our ICT industry, giving Australian companies greater access to the US government procurement market.

The potential benefits of such access should not be underestimated.

The United States Federal Government purchased around $76 billion of ICT goods and services in 2003–04. So by any measure - this is a truly a massive market opportunity.

Government commitment to ICT

Closer to home the Howard Government is committed to fully implementing its election commitments to assist the development of Australia’s ICT industry so that international success is on the agenda.

These commitments include building ICT skills; support for research and commercialisation activities; and improving Government ICT procurement arrangements.

The Government has already begun consulting with a range of industry and government stakeholders to ensure these policies are implemented for the benefit of the sector.

Current issues like the demand for ICT skills training, flexible working arrangements and identifying and addressing the barriers to women participating in the ICT sector, are being addressed.

SMEs—industry development initiatives

Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are an important plank in Australia’s economy and the Government understands the challenges that ICT SMEs—in particular—face.

It is with this in mind that the Government will spend an additional $36 million over the next four years to continue our support for the highly successful ICT Incubators Program as part of the Backing Australia’s Ability 2 package.

This will provide the necessary seed capital and business advice to ICT firms that are starting out so they have the best possible start for a long and successful future in ICT.

COMET

The Commercialisation of Emerging Technologies (COMET) program will receive an additional $100 million under Backing Australia’s Ability 2 to provide ICT SMEs and other businesses with tailored packages of support.

It is worth noting that in 2002–03, 40 per cent of COMET funds were allocated to ICT SMEs.

Government procurement policies

As you would be aware the Government is also a very important market for the ICT industry.

The ICT sector has raised concerns—which the Government is responding to—about how suppliers’ liability and intellectual property is dealt with in ICT contracts with the Government.

The Government Information Technology and Communications Contracting (GITC) Framework is being reviewed.

Reflecting our election commitment - the revised GITC will make it clear to Australian Government agencies that they should cap ICT suppliers’ liability at appropriate levels in the majority of contracts.

And secondly, the GITC will also make it clear to agencies that they should ensure intellectual property is handled in ICT procurement in a way that provides opportunities for private sector partners to capitalise on the commercialisation of joint development projects.

A guide for agencies on capping suppliers’ liability in Government ICT procurement is currently being prepared and should be available later this year.

Conclusion

Now I know that you are all eager to find out who will take away an award tonight and so am I!

So once again congratulations to all the finalists and I wish you all every success.

Thank you.