Congratulations on your nomination for the House of Assembly Elections on March 23.
I am contacting you to ensure you are aware of the priorities of Tasmania’s Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) sector.
All Peak Industry Bodies represent the specific interests of their individual sectors, but because ICT is the foundation of ALL industries the new-look State Government must carefully consider its plans for ICT for the sake of Individuals, Start-ups, Small Businesses, Large Enterprises, Corporations, Educational Faculties, the Public Service, Government Business Enterprises and Community Service organisations.
For your reference, attached are two documents:
We encourage all parties and independent candidates to develop an ICT Policy, and TasICT is keen to communicate those policies to our members and subscribers statewide to help them make informed decisions when voting.
Looking forward to hearing from you regarding your ICT policy.
Kind regards,
Steve Adermann
Chief Executive Officer, TasICT
Dear Steve,
Thank you for your email highlighting TasICT’s priorities at election time.
Encouraging greater digital skills, participation, and inclusivity for both young and older people is an important plank of my election platform on education across the board. So, it goes without saying that you will have no argument from me about TasICT’s priorities in increasing skills availability, leveraging emerging technologies, adopting digital services, and buying local.
I have noted your budget submission to the Government and will give you an assurance that if elected on March 23 I will work with you and collaboratively with fellow parliamentary colleagues to ensure we progress those priorities particularly the creation of a telecommunications Infrastructure Co-Investment Fund to maximise infrastructure opportunities for the State’s future digital agility and capability.
Thanks again for making contact and I look forward to progressing this with you further after the election.
Yours sincerely,
Sue Hickey
Sue Hickey – Independent (Clark)
Hello Steve
Those look very thorough! I apologise that I won’t be able to give a sufficient answer straight away as this falls very much outside my area of knowledge.
However, while I’m trying to formulate a more satisfactory response (once I recover from my late shift), I perhaps can give you a sense of where I stand:
I have participated in things like GovHack, and I find the ICT community such a wealth of knowledge that is too often pushed aside as the “IT Person” when, as you accurately note, you make the machine run and should enough ever decide changes need to happen… Well that’s a discussion for another day!
Cheers
Sam.
Sam Campbell – The Local Network (Clark)
Dear Steve,
Thank you for your email Of March 5 and the attached TasICT priorities and funding proposals.
I am running as an independent and, if re-elected, hope to use my influence to ensure that the next State Government is guided by good policy and the over-arching objective of improving the quality of life and opportunities for all Tasmanians.
Better opportunities and quality of life depends not only on the efforts of Government but also on thriving businesses and industries which can drive innovation and economic growth and create sustainable employment. The Tasmanian economy is very small relative to the Australian and international market and this means the State Government must play a big role in assisting established and emerging industries to help offset the competitive disadvantages we face because of lack of scale.
For this reason I have been a long standing advocate for active State Government industry policies based on targeted financial support for key sectors, assistance with market adaptation, the provision of skills and training, and infrastructure planning and delivery. Such an approach requires collaboration and consultation with business owners and managers and peak bodies representing key sectors of the Tasmanian economy.
In this context I recognise the central importance of the ICT sector as a source of technical and digital infrastructure to underpin productivity in the State’s industrial and services sectors, and as a major source of employment and economic activity in its own right. I note that its ongoing development is partly constrained by Tasmania’s relative disadvantage in national and cross-border public and private ICT projects and investment, skills deficits and incomplete connectivity.
This highlights a clear case for an active State Government ICT industry policy, and on this basis I support the key measures you have identified – a comprehensive scan to identify gaps, blackspots opportunities in Tasmania’s ICT fibre and mobile infrastructure, local procurement initiatives, leveraging emerging technologies, uplifting cyber security and expanding tech career options in our schooling system.
I am particularly supportive of your recommended $30 million Digital Infrastructure Fund to encourage co-investment with digital carriers and other providers, and consider the suggested allocation of $600 thousand over 10 years for scanning and mapping to be a modest but important investment.
If I have the privilege of being re-elected I would welcome dialogue with TasICT with a view to garnering cross-party and independent support for the initiatives you have proposed.
Navigating the policy-making process for key economic sectors is likely to be unusually complex in what will likely be a hung Parliament and I hope to use my experience to encourage stability and a mature decision-making process.
Kind regards,
David O’Byrne
David O’Byrne – Independent (Franklin)
Dear Steve
Thank you very much for the information.
I understand the importance of the ICT and your budget seems to be highly appropriate and reasonable.
Given the information I certainly support your proposal
Stefan
Stefan Vogel – Independent (Clark)
Thank you very much for this Steve.
Clare Glade-Wright
Clare Glade-Wright – Independent (Franklin)
Dear Steve,
Many thanks for your email and for letting me know about the priorities of Tasmania’s Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) sector, and for a copy of your Budget Submission.
Please be assured that your key priority areas, issues and concerns have been noted, and I have raised the importance of these directly with the Liberal Party.
Warmest regards,
Jacquie Petrusma
Jacquie Petrusma – Liberal Party (Franklin)
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your email and for sharing TasICT’s budget submission and election priorities. I will discuss these listed priorities with Rosalie Woodruff and provide you with a more detailed response in due course.
Warm regards,
Gideon
Gideon Cordover – Greens (Franklin)
Thank you Steve,
As you may be aware, in my day to day life I am a software engineer (I previously worked for Martin Anderson at Ionata Digital)
I am very aware of the importance of our industry in providing the vital infrastructure that enables modern society.
While I cannot respond on behalf of the party with a policy, rest assured that I do champion the importance of ICT and will continue to do so.
With kindness,
jade darko (she/her)
Jade Darko – Greens (Franklin)
Hello,
Thank you for getting in touch with my office. I will get back to you as soon as I can, but if the matter is urgent can you please call my office on (03) 6464 3048.
Thanks.
Felix Ellis MP
Felix Ellis – Liberal Party (Braddon)
Thank you for you email.
We appreciate the time you have taken to write to Tasmanian Labor.
However due to the large volume of emails we are receiving, we are unable to respond to everyone individually.
For invitations, we will get back to you as soon as we can.
For budget submissions or policy requests, your correspondence will be sent to the Shadow Minister for their information.
During the course of the election Labor will be sharing with the community a vision for Tasmania, because it’s time for a better future.
Policies, once released will be communicated with relevant stakeholders and made available on the Labor website, www.taslabor.org.au
Thank you for your support.
Regards
Rebecca White
Rebecca White – ALP (Lyons)
Hi Steve
Thank you for getting in touch regarding my position on the matters you have raised. While I welcome your active participation in the campaign, I ask for your understanding that I have been inundated with similar requests covering a wide range of policy issues and as an Independent candidate I don’t have the time to investigate each of them. While I am reluctant to make binding commitments without further research, I am aware that it is increasingly likely that no party will be elected to govern in its own right and negotiations across the Parliament will be vital in achieving results. I give you my undertaking that your views will be taken into account should I be in a position to influence those negotiations in the new Parliament.
To provide some guidance on my approach, I have a strong commitment to represent the needs and interests of rural and regional communities, which have too often been overlooked by the major parties’ concentration on the cities. I am particularly focused on the need for more GPs to kick start the rebuilding of the health system, the need for tax relief to ease the cost of living, and the urgent need to get better results from our schools. I am a strong supporter of our rural industries, including farming, forestry, mining, aquaculture and tourism that are the backbone of regional communities. I believe in a Tasmania First approach to addressing needs – ensuring Tasmanians have a roof over their heads before embarking on a billion dollar project to house an AFL team, reducing power prices to the break-even cost of production from the Hydro, and processing Tasmanian timber here in Tasmania.
Regards, John
John Tucker – Independent (Lyons)
Hi Steve
Thanks for the information, and sorry for the late response.
As an independent candidate I’ve had to prioritise my issues, but I do think ICT deserves government support because Tasmania needs an effective ICT sector.
If I am elected, my door is open, and I’d welcome the chance to talk further.
Kind regards
Ben Lohberger – Independent (Clark)
Hi Steve,
Thank you for your email, I appreciate you reaching out and supplying the attached information.
I will read this with interest.
Kind regards
Richard Trethewie – Liberal Party (Bass)
Hi Steve
Thank you for your email.
I have read your documents and appreciate the importance of the recommendations made.
kind regards Sarina Laidler
Sarina Laidler – Liberal Party (Braddon)
Dear Mr Adermann
Thank you for your advocacy on behalf of Tasmania’s Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) sector. I am pleased to respond to all Liberal Members and Candidates.
Firstly, thank you for your continued advocacy on behalf of the sector and for continuing to be a strong and representative body for the State’s ICT sector and a respected interface between the industry and the Government.
I am pleased to confirm that under our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, a re-elected majority Liberal Government will provide TasICT with $30,000 to help deliver its cyber security conference, workforce development and student engagement. I am very pleased that some of this funding will assist TasICT to hold its third annual cyber conference so that business and industry can learn about and adopt best practice cyber security measures.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will deliver an Advanced Technology Industries Strategy to assist industry to leverage the rapid advances in science and technology. Our Strategy will apply advanced science and technology and enabling infrastructure to future-proof Tasmania’s economy and strengthen our industries.
The Strategy will be developed across industry, educational and government sectors and key stakeholders to:
• Amplify Tasmania’s strategic southern advantage and our connection to the Southern Ocean, Antarctica and southern skies, including exploring emerging opportunities for our advanced manufacturing, maritime, Antarctic, defence, space, energy and health industries. This could involve space object tracking and communications, satellite remote sensing, remote and extreme environment medicine, space-analogue research and training, deep sea and coastal observation, autonomous vessels, long-range drones and renewable energy systems.
• Foster research and industry collaboration and create opportunities for sectors to work more closely together, pool technology capabilities and share resources.
• Accelerate new business creation and commercialisation, including encouraging the uptake and adoption of critical technologies and application of data analytics – including satellite remote sensing and communications – across key export and service industries to allow Tasmanian businesses to make more informed decisions. It will also encourage incubation and acceleration partnerships and R&D commercialisation to allow our businesses, startups and researchers to gain a foothold in an increasingly diverse and busy marketplace.
• Elevate Tasmania’s technology industry profile and brand on the national and international stage by developing a clear, cohesive and compelling brand proposition. By communicating Tasmania’s strategic advantages and technology capabilities, including participating in targeted trade and promotional events, we can grow knowledge-based exports and attract major investment, business and new talent to Tasmania.
• Inspire the next generation to pursue science and technology education and careers. This includes working with industry and the education sector to meet current and future STEM skill needs by developing a Tasmanian Industry Skills Compact.
• Continue work to strengthen Tasmania’s communications infrastructure, including our off-island linkages to mainland Australia, as well those on-island. This will ensure there is no disruption to essential services to keep Tasmanians safe, and create additional redundancy to ensure our economy can thrive into the future.
To keep building a strong ICT sector in Tasmania, a re-elected majority Liberal Government we will continue to:
• Deliver our $3.3 million Cyber Hubs Initiative to bolster our cyber defences through a new whole-of-government shared operating model to ensure the Tasmanian government data and systems are kept safe. The program will then develop a roadmap to continuously improve the overall maturity of the government’s cyber defences.
• Continue our $11.5 million work to improve Tasmania’s digital connectivity and deliver an additional subsea cable link landing in Southern Tasmania to underpin economic and social benefits to the state into the future.
• Continue to deliver the $12.9 million Project Unify, which will upgrade a number of disparate, disconnected and ageing ICT systems that support policing operations and external clients.
• Delivering our $475 million, 10-year Digital Health Transformation Program to allow for increased care at home or in the community across Tasmania’s geographically dispersed population. That includes upgrading virtual health infrastructure at 13 district hospitals across Tasmania, so Tasmanians can see a hospital specialist without the need to travel, building a statewide Electronic Medical Record for better patient outcomes, an Ambulance Electronic Patient Care record, and a Statewide Integrated Health Command Centre.
• Continuing the Fisheries Digital Transition Project, stage 2, to support the ongoing transition of Tasmanian commercial wild-capture fisheries to digital platforms, and supporting digital licensing. This project will expand to include recreational fisheries and aquaculture applications.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will also continue to:
• Update the Tasmanian Development Act to further encourage development and jobs, removing the $10 million limit that constrains the Board’s ability to invest in projects and enabling the State to co-invest in strategic projects, including advanced manufacturing and technology and research.
• Deliver a $1 million grant program to support small businesses across Tasmania to thrive, adapt and innovate in their local communities, with grants up to $10,000 for capital purchases, such as new technology, or to update cybersecurity. Eligibility will be for small businesses registered in Tasmania with fewer than 19 full-time equivalent employees. Small businesses will be asked for a 30 per cent co-contribution towards the purchase price.
• Help more local Tasmanian ICT businesses win Government work by increasing the Buy Local economic and social benefit test to 30 per cent. The increase in the weighting in competitive procurement processes will ensure a sustained focus on local Tasmanian suppliers, nurturing local businesses and creating jobs.
• Slash red tape to make it simpler for small businesses to tender for government projects. We will introduce a single form tendering process specifically designed for small businesses for all projects valued up to $250,000.
I would also like to assure you that in relation to your requests for funding for regular sector scans and an infrastructure fund, if re-elected, we will continue to engage with TasICT in good faith on your request and will continue to consider funding requests through budget processes.
Thank you for writing to me and I look forward to engaging with you and your team after the election.
For more on our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future and our 2030 Strong Plan for ICT please visit https://tas.liberal.org.au/our-plan.
Yours sincerely
Jeremy Rockliff MP
Premier
Jeremy Rockliff – Liberal Party (Braddon)