MEDIA RELEASE

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ACS Welcomes Information Economy Ministry

Wednesday 17 September 1997 - The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has welcomed the appointment of Senator Richard Alston as Minister for the Information Economy.

Prime Minister Howard announced the initiative yesterday as part of moves to "elevate the importance and enhance the coordination of online policy making as we move into the next millennium".

ACS President, Tom Worthington, said the appointment should give the Information Industries a higher priority, but he cautioned that failing to integrate all IT-related issues within a single Department could hamper the Government’s achievements in this sector.

"While Senator Alston has extensive experience in a major part of the IT arena and we welcome his enhanced responsibilities, Mr Howard’s announcement really doesn’t go far enough," he said.

"In our submission to the Information Industries Taskforce, the ACS called for a single, integrated approach focusing on the development of the IT Industry. What we have here is one agency dealing with Communications and the Information Economy, another handling IT Industry and Investment, and a third responsible for Government IT.

"With the formation of a new National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE) and the continuation of the Information Policy Advisory Committee (IPAC), we have more players rather than less.

"We believe it is essential that IT policy-making becomes more focused and coherent, with a sharp development emphasis. The Prime Minister’s announcement has the potential to further complicate the situation, which could counteract any benefits that might be gained."

Mr Worthington also said the Alston appointment was a good opportunity for the Government to demonstrate ‘best practice’ with regard to OGIT’s handling of IT outsourcing.

"IT outsourcing should not be seen simply as an opportunity to reduce expenditure, but should represent a coordinated effort by all IT-related Departments to achieve the best possible result both for the Government, industry and the community in general."

Speaking from Darwin where he is meeting with Government, industry and education IT representatives, Mr Worthington also urged action to implement the Discipline Research Strategy for Information Technology recommendations on funding for IT research and education.

"Our research sector will be the source of the ideas and the people upon which the Australian economy will depend in the next century," he said.

This media release is available at: http://www.acs.org.au/news/alston.htm

ENDS

Media Enquiries:

Tom Worthington, ACS President, Tel: (0419) 496 150, Email: tomw@acslink.net.au

Caroline New, Caroline New PR, Tel: (02) 9980 8060 or (0411) 889 456, Email: cnew@acslink.net.au