Media Release

Industry, business & Government drive digital economy future

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today met with industry and business leaders to drive the vision for Australia's future in the global digital economy.

"We need to position now for Australia to realise the full benefits from the Governments infrastructure and other digital economy investments, and realise our ambition to become one of the worlds leading digital economies," Senator Conroy said.

"Like industrialisation, the digital economy is providing benefits across society. We know that the digital economy must underpin Australia's future economic progress."

"Today a consensus emerged on the need to collaborate to develop a road map for the future of the digital economy in Australia."

Senator Conroy chaired the Digital Economy Forum in Melbourne, where he announced a Future Directions Paper to be produced in collaboration with industry, business and other stakeholders. The paper will be published early next year.

Today's forum was preceded by three workshops, focused on capabilities, confidence and content, to consider likely developments and establish aspirations for Australia's digital economy over the next five years.

"The Government is determined to increase effective use of the internet by consumers and all businesses to drive higher productivity growth and community participation in the digital economy. We need to consider now the potential business models, social and economic challenges, skills and capacity requirements to meet our objective," Senator Conroy said.

"The workshops and this forum provided a valuable opportunity for a range of stakeholders to be heard, and to contribute to the future directions of the digital economy," Senator Conroy said.

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Date: 10 September 2008
Contact: Tim Marshall 0408 258 457