An important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future is creating the jobs we need to ensure that Tasmania remains the best state to live, work and raise a family.
That’s why a re-elected majority Liberal Government will:
- Develop a whole-of-government Advanced Technology Industries Strategy.
- Provide TasICT with funding for its important cyber security conference, workforce development and student engagement initiatives.
- Continue multi-million-dollar funding across Government to build ICT and cyber security capacity and deliver transformational digital projects.
- Support Tasmanian ICT businesses.
A strategy for advanced technology industries
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will establish an Advanced Technology Industries Strategy to assist industry to leverage the rapid advances in science and technology. Our Strategy will apply advanced science and technology and enabling infrastructure to future-proof Tasmania's economy and strengthen our industries.
The Strategy will be developed across industry, educational and government sectors and key stakeholders to:
- Amplify Tasmania’s strategic southern advantage and our connection to the Southern Ocean, Antarctica and southern skies, including exploring emerging opportunities for our advanced manufacturing, maritime, Antarctic, defence, space, energy and health industries. This could involve space object tracking and communications, satellite remote sensing, remote and extreme environment medicine, space-analogue research and training, deep sea and coastal observation, autonomous vessels, long-range drones and renewable energy systems.
- Foster research and industry collaboration and create opportunities for sectors to work more closely together, pool technology capabilities and share resources.
- Accelerate new business creation and commercialisation, including encouraging the uptake and adoption of critical technologies and application of data analytics - including satellite remote sensing and communications - across key export and service industries to allow Tasmanian businesses to make more informed decisions. It will also encourage incubation and acceleration partnerships and R&D commercialisation to allow our businesses, startups and researchers to gain a foothold in an increasingly diverse and busy marketplace.
- Elevate Tasmania's technology industry profile and brand on the national and international stage by developing a clear, cohesive and compelling brand proposition.By communicating Tasmania's strategic advantages and technology capabilities, including participating in targeted trade and promotional events, we can grow knowledge-based exports and attract major investment, business and new talent to Tasmania.
- Inspire the next generation to pursue science and technology education and careers. This includes working with industry and the education sector to meet current and future STEM skill needs by developing a Tasmanian Industry Skills Compact.
- Continue work to strengthen Tasmania’s communications infrastructure, including our off-island linkages to mainland Australia, as well those on-island. This will ensure there is no disruption to essential services to keep Tasmanians safe, and create additional redundancy to ensure our economy can thrive into the future.
Building a strong ICT and Advanced Technologies sector in Tasmania
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will continue to build a strong ICT sector in Tasmania.
We will:
- Support TasICT with $30,000 to help deliver its cyber security conference, workforce development and student engagement. This will support TasICT to hold its third annual cyber conference so that business and industry can learn about and adopt best practice cyber security measures. It will assist TasICT with its Workforce Development Initiative, with networking events designed to attract teachers and those with a passion for ICT. It will assist with the costs of students and graduates attending industry events and Excellence Award nights enabling networking with prospective employers.
- Deliver our $3.3 million Cyber Hubs Initiative to bolster our cyber defences through a new whole-of-government shared operating model to ensure the Tasmanian government data and systems are kept safe. The program will then develop a roadmap to continuously improve the overall maturity of the government’s cyber defences.
- Continue our $11.5 million work to improve Tasmania’s digital connectivity and deliver an additional subsea cable link landing in Southern Tasmania to underpin economic and social benefits to the state into the future.
- Continue to deliver the $12.9 million Project Unify, which will upgrade a number of disparate, disconnected and ageing ICT systems that support policing operations and external clients.
- Delivering our $475 million, 10-year Digital Health Transformation Program to allow for increased care at home or in the community across Tasmania's geographically dispersed population. That includes upgrading virtual health infrastructure at 13 district hospitals across Tasmania, so Tasmanians can see a hospital specialist without the need to travel, building a statewide Electronic Medical Record for better patient outcomes, an Ambulance Electronic Patient Care record, and a Statewide Integrated Health Command Centre.
- Continuing the Fisheries Digital Transition Project, stage 2, to support the ongoing transition of Tasmanian commercial wild-capture fisheries to digital platforms, and supporting digital licensing. This project will expand to include recreational fisheries and aquaculture applications.
Supporting the growth of Tasmanian ICT businesses
- Update the Tasmanian Development Act to further encourage development and jobs, removing the $10 million limit that constrains the Board's ability to invest in projects and enabling the State to co-invest in strategic projects, including advanced manufacturing and technology and research.
- Deliver a $1 million grant program to support small businesses across Tasmania to thrive, adapt and innovate in their local communities, with grants up to $10,000 for capital purchases, such as new technology, or to update cybersecurity. Eligibility will be for small businesses registered in Tasmania with fewer than 19 full-time equivalent employees. Small businesses will be asked for a 30 per cent co-contribution towards the purchase price.
- Help more local Tasmanian ICT businesses win Government work by increasing the Buy Local economic and social benefit test test to 30 per cent. The increase in the weighting in competitive procurement processes will ensure a sustained focus on local Tasmanian suppliers, nurturing local businesses and creating jobs.
- Slash red tape to make it simpler for small businesses to tender for government projects. We will introduce a single form tendering process specifically designed for small businesses for all projects valued up to $250,000.
Net Cost: Nil – All policies costed elsewhere