I am delighted to officially launch the Intelligent Island Programme in Launceston today.
The Federal Government is committing $40m to the Intelligent Island Programme to assist in the development of an internationally competitive information technology and telecommunications industry in Tasmania.
The funding for this programme is drawn entirely from the $1 billion Social Bonus, that was made possible by the second partial sale of Telstra.
It is a very tangible and practical example of the benefits that have flowed to Tasmania from the Telstra sale. A total of $168 million from the Telstra Social Bonus will be invested in Tasmania.
The seven components of the Intelligent Island Programme range from business incubators that will foster new start-up firms to a Centre of Excellence that will draw together industry, academia and government to encourage innovation and commercialisation in the area of information technology and telecommunications.
There is also a strong emphasis on providing flexible access to investment funds for Tasmanian IT & T firms. A $10 million Investment Fund is part of the Intelligent Island Programme, along with funding to attract new strategic partnerships with national or international IT & T companies, and research and development organisations.
The development of skills through funding for industry-focussed projects which support the growth of the skills base required by the IT industry in Tasmania is another integral part of the Intelligent Island Programme.
These initiatives have been developed in partnership with the Tasmanian Government and draw on the existing strengths of Tasmania’s research infrastructure and on existing Commonwealth funded programmes, such as Building Additional Rural Networks (BARN), Connecting Tasmania Schools and the Launceston Broadband Project.
It is another example of the Federal Government’s commitment to building new sustainable job opportunities in Tasmania in the emerging IT & T sector.
11 August 2000