NSW government commits $3 million to Interactive Media Fund

Digital media companies in NSW are set to get a boost with funding of $3 million over the next two years while an ICT industry taskforce has been developed by the state government to create a NSW Digital Economy Industry Action Plan.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Stoner, said in a statement that the Interactive Media Fund of $3 million would support digital content development, such as electronic games.

“This Fund represents a renewed focus on interactive content, a key element in digital innovation with the ability to benefit other sectors such as health, finance and education,” he said.

Stoner added that in May, he announced funding for 20 creative digital content projects under the Digital Media Initiative which received endorsement from industry bodies such as the Games Developers Association of Australia and the Screen Producers Association of Australia.

“We’re also increasing the amount of enterprise funding available under the Interactive Media Fund from $100,000 to $250,000 to better help expanding companies bring in specialist skills to work across complex projects,” Stoner said.

Turning to the ICT industry task force, he said the group would work with the NSW government to develop a 10 year Digital Economy Plan with input from the greater NSW region.

The Plan would focus on subsectors expected to support long term productivity and export opportunities including digital content and applications, information services, analytics, and smart networks.

Stoner said that ICT industry members, as well as the public, were invited to register their interest by following the Plan link on the NSW Government website or on Twitter by following #iapnsw.

Members of the NSW Digital Economy Industry Action Plan Taskforce include:

• IBM Australia research and development director, Glenn Wrightwick (chair)

• Omnilab group digital services executive director, Tom Kennedy

• Freelancer.com chief executive officer, Matt Barrie

• Telstra applications group managing director, Deena Shiff

• Ausgrid executive general manager, Peter Birk

• The Project Factory director, Jennifer Wilson

• OneVentures managing director, Dr Michelle Deaker

• CSIRO information services group executive, Dr Alex Zelinsky

• Foxtel chief information officer, Robyn Elliott .

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU

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