Queensland to invest $11m in security enhancements

The Queensland Government has pledged to invest $11 million over the next two years in a raft of whole-of-government cybersecurity enhancements as part of its 2021–22 Budget.

The state government has also committed $11.3 million over two years for the continued operation of Smart Service Queensland’s COVID-19 response call centre.

Meanwhile, the Budget also includes $17.3 million over five years — including $4.4 million in 2021–22 — to complete the Digital Archives Program to enable the preservation of digital government records.

Finally, the Budget includes up to $12 million over three years for the Mobile Black Spot program, a joint initiative between the federal and state governments and the industry to bring mobile coverage to unserved areas.

The Australian Information Industry Association has expressed concern that the state government is underinvesting in the state’s ICT capabilities.

“With long held skills shortages in Australia’s ICT sector, the flagship $3.34 billion Queensland Jobs Fund is welcomed. Alongside the policy, the AIIA Skills Hub — launched in conjunction with Queensland University of Technology — can improve the supply of skilled Australian workers and map employee skills to career pathways and relevant training courses,” AIIA CEO Ron Gauci said.

“Despite the focus on skills and however, Queensland is coming last on the digital inclusion index and should concern all Queenslanders, especially as the ICT Industry is key to Australia’s economic recovery post COVID-19. Successive Queensland Governments have underinvested in the state’s ICT capability and is now being left behind as the rest of Australia and the national economy becomes digitised.”

Gauci added that the state’s investments in digital capabilities will need to be accelerated significantly to see the real benefit the ICT sector could bring to the Queensland economy.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Chuongy