Displaying items by tag: Budget 2011

The Federal Government and States have been warned that doctors and other health professionals will require financial incentives to encourage them to fully participate in the Government's e-health plans and prepare for the introduction of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) according to the e-health transition authority Nehta.

The Federal Government's slew of skills initiatives announced in this week's Budget have received a thumbs-up from the IT Contract and Recruitment Association (ITCRA), particularly the $588 million worth of training initiatives and the $30 million programme targeted at older workers

The Government will provide $10.4 million over four years for the ongoing maintenance of the 2,000 Broadband Kiosks for Seniors, but it is not yet clear who will receive this money.

The AIIA says the National Digital Economy Strategy, due later this month, will be crucial to translating budget initiatives into tangible benefits. However this document seems to have been produced with minimal consultation: Communications Alliance, for one was not involved.

The Federal Budget has allocated $34.4m over five years to DBCDE for additional work to support the finalisation of definitive agreements between Telstra and NBN Co and $12.8m to the ACMA and the ACCC to set up the regulatory framework for the NBN.

Australia's peak tech industry body has vented its frustration at the Federal Government's budget policy to send skilled migrants to the bush, saying that it is not good for the ICT industry.

The big surprises in the Gillard Government's first Budget are that the cuts made aren't as deep and nasty as predicted, and that it has opted to take a first tentative step toward reigniting the concept of smarter cities with a $61.4 million smart motorways trial.

The Federal Government has delivered its promised tough love Budget intended to deliver $22 billion worth of savings - but the net impact on the IT&T sector is likely to be quite moderate given the continued investment in existing initiatives such as e-health and the National Broadband Network.

The Federal Budget has largely ignored the ICT sector, leaving the peak industry body to pin its hopes on the release of the Digital Economy statement later this month.

Cuts announced to Federal programmes in the Gillard Government's first Budget, which are intended to help deliver $22 billion worth of savings, could dent the fragile recovery of the Canberra ICT skills market.

Cuts announced to Federal programmes in the Gillard Government's first Budget, which are intended to help deliver $22 billion worth of savings, could dent the fragile recovery of the Canberra ICT skills market.

Discount electronic retailer Ruslan Kogan reckons the Government has been conned into setting aside $308 million in tonight's Budget to provide pensioners with set top boxes so that they can continue to watch TV once the analogue signal is switched off.