News

Digital ID gets a poor focus reception

Two-thirds of Australlians won’t use the federal government’s digital identity unless there is a significant public awareness campaign, and more needs to be done to improve security and privacy,...

Visa tender has cost $80m ‘so far’

The federal government had “utterly failed” to justify its decision to outsource the visa tech processing system, a project which has cost $80 million even before a winning bidder...

Medicare data plan a privacy risk

The government’s proposed Medicare data-sharing scheme will put the privacy of all Australians at “serious risk”, a data privacy expert has said. The Coalition unveiled draft legislation for the...

Telecoms is fuel for economic growth

A new report highlighting the importance of the telecommunications industry to the Australian economy should act as a reminder to the federal government when developing policy, according to Communications...

AI ethics guide is a PR exercise

The federal government’s unveiling of artificial intelligence ethical guidelines for Australian business is a PR exercise that won’t change the actions of companies, according to former Digital Transformation Office...

Dominello extends the NSW licence

More than half a million people registered for a digital driver licence in New South Wales in the initiative’s first week, with the state government now looking towards a...

Andrew Stevens on energy sector data

Australia’s data standards chief Andrew Stevens has named a 14-member committee to deal with building the Consumer Data Right regime within the energy sector. It includes a  mix of...

Govt consults on $1b growth fund

The federal government has launched a whirlwind five-day consultation period for its $100 million cash injection into its business growth fund, which would provide “patient capital” to Australian SMEs....

Fast-track tech visa has arrived

The launch of a new fast-tracked visa marks a new era for skilled migration, with the federal government actively seeking tech talent from around the world to live and...

Five-year itch for grant scheme

Entrepreneur Mark Blum co-founded his property tech startup Cognian Technologies in mid-2016, raising a friends and family investment round to fund a working prototype of its Synchromesh smart building...

Labor must make NBN its priority

Labor must make the NBN an election priority and in doing so position itself as the champion of consumers desperate for a better online experience, and as builders of...

Encryption forum delayed again

A public forum to discuss the government’s controversial encryption powers has been delayed for a second time as the independent security monitor calls for more submissions to its inquiry....

Tech’s push for a Bill of Rights

Australian governments should abandon plans for a nationwide facial recognition system and other controversial tech expansions until there is a charter of human rights, privacy and digital rights experts...

Albo’s focus on the future of work

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has promised a focus on new technologies and the future of work, as the Opposition looks towards the next election. In his first major policy...