Credit: Dreamstime
The Federal government is setting aside more than $2 billion that will go towards new digital solutions aiming at improved service delivery and modernising outdated legacy platforms and IT systems.
This was part of the Federal government’s 2023-24 budget delivered by the Treasurer Jim Chalmers on 9 May.
There will be $86.5 million allocated to establish a National Anti-Scam Centre to boost the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) work to disrupt investment scam and phishing websites, and establish the country’s first SMS Sender ID Registry to prevent scammers intimidating trusted brands.
$44.3 million will also be handed to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) to take regulatory action, enhance its data and analytics capabilities and support a standalone Privacy Commissioner.
The 2023-24 budget is also providing $23.4 million to support small businesses in building resilience to cyber threats under the Cyber Wardens program, which will provide the foundational skills needed to improve cyber safety. It will be delivered by the Small Business Organisations of Australia, supporting more than 15,000 businesses.
About $26.9 million in 2023-24 budget is going towards expanding Digital ID and $88.8 million over two years is also being heaped into the Consumer Data Right (CDR) to support it in banking, energy and non-banking lending sectors and deliver a cyber security lift.
$101.2 million has also been allocated over five years to support the development and uptake of technologies that are enabling capabilities across industries, focusing on quantum and artificial intelligence. It will also expand the National AI Centre and its role in responsible AI usage along with establishing an Australian Centre for Quantum Growth to amplify the local quantum ecosystem.
My Health Record is also gaining a modernisation boost with $429 million being slated towards the initiative along with support for easier and secure data sharing across healthcare settings. About $325.7 million over four years will also go towards establishing the Australian Digital Health Agency as an ongoing entity.
About $392 million will go towards an Industry Growth Program that will help spark early-stage product commercialisation in strategic industries, aiming to grow Australian start-ups.
Boosting skilled migration was also on the agenda as the government plans to allocate around 70 per cent of places in the 2023-24 permanent Migration Program to skilled migrants in an attempt to address persistent skill shortages.
Under the Australian Skills Guarantee, the government also aims to ensure one in ten workers on major government-funded ICT projects will be an apprentice or trainee, also setting targets for women in these roles.
