What the ICT industry wants: IT analysts

Leading IT analysts have weighed in on ICT policy commitments they would like to see delivered at the next Federal Election:

Ovum research director public sector, Kevin Noonan:

1 First is really about getting on with the job – no more reviews such as Gershon and the like. I think the reviews that happened at the beginning of the previous government really dropped the industry standard for the period while those reviews were going on. Really there’s enough information around now for really doing a lot with industry policy, so we want to see a better development and engagement with industry and really getting on with the job. Action rather than contemplation.

2 From both parties I think something around a Government direction on cloud and shared services, where things are going from a whole government perspective. The opposition have said fairly clearly that in their policy platform they’re going to drop the NBN and the education revolution PCs in schools, we’d really like to see something from them about what their vision for technology is. The ball is in the opposition’s court for where they see government IT going. Whatever their policy platform is, they need to map a path from where the reality of where we are now to wherever they want to be. Stepping back to a blank sheet of paper is not helpful to the industry.

3 Policies on industry engagement, there was some clear issues that were brought out in the Gershon review about needing to improve industry engagement and the government is already underway, but we’d like to see out of both parties some clearer commitments on industry engagement.

Frost and Sullivan industry director, Andrew Milroy:

1 In the ICT industry I think the obvious number one issue is the NBN, and from the opposition standpoint their position doesn’t seem very clear in ICT and the issues around it, some clarity. I think the ICT industry in Australia would like to see it go ahead because it offers significant opportunities for so many ICT companies in Australia.

2 Investment in e-health. One of the big issues in Australia is a whole raft of IT health issues, starting with electronic health records which are at different levels of maturity in different states in NSW in Victoria it’s very immature for example whereas in Queensland it’s somewhat ahead, basically to have the Government drive this forward, to have electronic health records. You could take this further with healthcare and talk about point-of-care solutions, technology solutions, being able to provide care outside of hospitals, digital imaging, we still wander around with those big bits of film every time we have a scan of some sort.

3 Education, the digital education revolution, investing in PCs and networking and taking it further – equipping schools with adequate IT infrastructures.

IBRS advisor, James Turner:

1 Scrap the filter, I think they need to take a good hard look at the facts that anybody that’s got any technical nous is advising against it, everyone that understand technology thinks it’s a crazy idea.

2 Realise that technology is a special area, a specialty area that requires far more consideration and expert advise than they’re currently getting. I think that they need to get better advisors, people that actually understand IT and that can advise the government on what is a sensible use of money.

Read other policy commitment wish lists from the ICT industry

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