News

Deloitte lands another big federal platform fix

Deloitte has won a $1.5 million contract to make sure the government’s second attempt to develop a tech platform to manage apprenticeships goes better than the first go, which...

ACCC’s Big Tech crusade: Facebook court action

Australia’s competition watchdog has continued its crusade against big tech and is taking Facebook to court over the use of its VPN app to allegedly hoover up data from...

Privacy chief wants to carry a bigger stick

Australia’s privacy authority has called for more funding and stronger enforcement powers to bring it into line with its global peers as part of a sweeping review of the...

‘Misguided’: Vic govt ditches COVID platform

The Victorian government made a “misguided and costly mistake” in buying a $4 million IBM platform as part of its effort to combat the COVID-19 second wave, appearing to...

Being digital in 2021 and beyond: Age of Trust

“Be not afraid of greatness,” wrote Shakespeare. “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” In this year of the pandemic, much the...

Gutting the APS created a diversity problem

In the early 2000’s, I remember sitting around conference tables with other government chief information officers and technologists. Female CIOs headed up Immigration, Centrelink, CSIRO, Industry, Finance and AGIMO...

Calls for annual reviews of APS cyber resilience

A government-led parliamentary committee has called for annual reviews to be conducted into the cyber resilience of Commonwealth entities with many departments and agencies still not having implemented baseline...

Tech progress in last week of Parliament

A significant restructuring of the popular export market development grant program has passed Parliament, while a number of major tech-related pieces of legislation will remain there over summer. Changes...

Three years: Credit reporting laws remain stalled

Despite Scott Morrison labelling it a “life-changing” reform in 2017 as the then-Treasurer, the federal government is yet to pass legislation that introduces a mandatory comprehensive credit reporting scheme...

FIRB changes to dampen foreign tech investment

New rules surrounding Australia’s foreign investment regime which passed Parliament last week may “dampen the enthusiasm” for investment in local tech companies, according to Australian Investment Council chief Yasser...

Fresh calls for an inquiry into COVIDSafe app

COVIDSafe did nothing to help combat the second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria, according to a state parliament report, while a federal Parliamentary committee has called for an independent...

Indigenous firm lands first frigate contract

Highly respected Sydney Swans football star Adam Goodes is leading the first indigenous supplier contracted for the Hunter-class frigate programme’s prototyping phase. With prototyping beginning this month, Goodes’ Indigenous...

Defence’ focus now generating SME innovation

Canberra has only been pursuing its focus on defence industry since 2016, but after four years it is clear that increased defence spending really is generating significant, fundamental innovation...

Solar and wind still cheapest options: CSIRO

A new report from CSIRO has found that solar and wind continue to be the cheapest source of energy in Australia. The GenCost report, produced in partnership with the...