News

Back to the future for the DTA

The resignation of Digital Transformation Agency chief Gavin Slater highlights the curiously circular thinking behind government’s ambitions to deliver better digital services to the Australian people. That thinking has...

Vallance on new library tech

New South Wales’ State Librarian, John Vallance, has a frankly astringent view of the state of Australian innovation. “The whole concept of innovation is fascinating especially now that it...

Science grants get an increase

Government has won bipartisan support from Labor for an increase in the spending cap for the Australian research grants scheme. South Australian Labor MP Nick Champion says the Opposition...

Digital shift in welfare burden

Increased automation and digitisation in government welfare services had “shifted the burden” onto the community sector and hurting Australia’s most vulnerable citizens, a new report has found. The Anglicare...

Mixed reviews for Vic dashboard

The Victorian government ICT dashboard relied on incomplete or inaccurate data that is reported too late, putting the integrity of the entire service at risk, the state’s Auditor General...

Gavin Slater says bye to DTA

Gavin Slater will step down as the chief executive of the Digital Transformation Agency at end of the month. Mr Slater, a Melbournian, has had to face the challenges...

End of Telstra’s grand bargain

One of the many things that the National Broadband Network has done is to finally torpedo Telstra’s grand bargain with the Australian government. Once upon a time this bargain...

Telstra change a shock to Canberra

Politicians from both sides of the political spectrum have reacted with “shock” and “disappointment” at news of Telstra’s major restructuring and slashing of 8000 jobs. The federal government used...

Fleet secures launch vehicles

Adelaide-based startup Fleet Space Technologies is set to launch Australia’s first commercial nanosatellites this year as the local sector continues to rapidly grow. The company has secured two contracts to...

Tech wreck report delayed again

A Senate report on the federal government’s series of “tech wrecks” has been delayed again following the shuttering of another high-profile IT project. The Labor-led Finance and Public Administration...

NSW sets up state ‘future fund’

The NSW government has announced the NSW Generations Fund (NGF), a world-first sovereign wealth fund designed to help the government maintain long-term sustainable debt levels consistent with a triple-A...

UN gaming disorder upsets developers

The UN health agency’s decision to list gaming addiction as a mental health condition for the first time has been criticised by Australian game developers, who say there isn’t...

Digital services boost in NSW budget

New South Wales Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has confirmed the state budget, the last before NSW voters goes to the polls next March, comes in at a surplus of $3.9...

Oz robotics needs ‘urgent’ investment

Australia must “urgently” invest in robotics if it wants to remain globally competitive and secure a potential $2.2 trillion in benefits thanks to automation over the next 15 years,...