MEDIA RELEASE

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ACS Supports Calls for Federal Government Vision for Industry

Tuesday, 4 March 1997 - The Australian Computer Society has added its support to the weekend call by Australian business leaders for the Federal Government to develop a cohesive vision for industry.

The Weekend Australian reported on the views of ten chief executives who between them have responsibility for $72 billion - about 18 per cent of the value of all local shares in the Australian Stock Exchange - and employ over 120,000 people.

Nine of the CEOs expressed varying degrees of dissatisfaction with the Government’s lack of vision, saying that Business is being "frustrated by a collection of government departments mostly working in isolation and occasionally at cross-purposes".

ACS Vice President, Prins Ralston, said these leaders have echoed the views of the ACS as expressed in its submission to the Information Industries Taskforce (IIT).

"This state of confusion is particularly relevant in the IT arena with up to four different Federal Departments involved and countless numbers of State Departments," he said.

Mr Ralston coordinated the ACS submission to the IIT, which called for the various IT and T industry portfolios to be combined into a single new portfolio at both the Federal and State levels.

"We believe that over time and with a consistent effort to coordinate these efforts, it would be possible to create a pro IT industry ethos which would facilitate the achievement of consistent policy outcomes supporting a Government vision for IT."

Speaking to the weekend comments by the CEOs, Mr Ralston said if the IT industry was promoted and encouraged appropriately, the massive IT Trade deficit could be wiped out in just seven years.

"Like the industry leaders, we are calling for investment incentives to leverage Australia’s position in the Global IT market. It is critical that we encourage local investment and infrastructure in Australia if we are to develop and maintain a vibrant IT industry.

"It seems highly appropriate that the Captains of Industry and our leading Professional bodies are seeking similar actions from the Federal Government," he said.

For more information or to obtain a copy of the ACS Submission to the Information Industries Taskforce, call the ACS National Office on 1800 626 029.

This media release is located on the Web at: http://www.acs.org.au/news/vision.htm

ENDS

Media Enquiries:

Prins Ralston, ACS Vice President, Tel: (0889) 466 264 or (0418) 898 456, Email: p_ralston@darwin.ntu.edu.au

Caroline New, Caroline New PR, Tel: (02) 9630 2108 or (0411) 889 456, Email: cnew@acslink.net.au