Victoria’s Police and Protective Service Officers are being armed with iPhones and iPads under a mobile policing strategy, enabling staff to be out in the field, rather than at desk-bound jobs.

The state’s futuristic Mobile Technology project is part of a $227 million investment in state-of-the-art policing technology.

South Australia’s science council will soon release a “Science Action Plan” that lays the foundations for innovation, industry engagement, and R&D commercialisation. 

The broader thrust of this plan was shared by Dr Leanna Read, chief scientist for South Australia. She was a keynote speaker at the inaugural FST Government South Australia conference held 30th March in Adelaide.

In the digital space, citizens are seeking a direct say in the co-design of government services, according to Sinéad O'Brien, executive director, Office for Customer, ICT and Digital Transformation, Department of Premier and Cabinet.  

The Australian government’s $35 billion Future Frigate project has reached a milestone with the release of a request for tender (RFT) to three shortlisted designers, BAE, Fincantieri and Navantia.

The high-tech Future Frigate project is currently the largest frigate shipbuilding program of its kind in the world, according to the minister for defence industry, Christopher Pyne.

The future of intelligent transport systems is under the spotlight under a $55 million grant awarded to higher education and research bodies by the federal government.

This latest funding supports the iMOVE Co-operative Research Centre (CRC). The program would run over 10 years, and incorporate R&D into 21st century transport, together with designing self-drive vehicles and automated transport.

The Australian government’s key minister for digital transformation, Angus Taylor, has foreshadowed a major boost in ICT spending – with the latest estimate capped at $9.3 billion across organisations. The core focus is on digital services, open data, and cloud services, among other platforms.

The future procurement effort will see the Commonwealth open up business for small-to-medium enterprises. The procurement effort is managed through the online Digital Marketplace.

Australia’s largest operating “virtual” power plant is going live in Adelaide with the first tranche of solar battery storage installations powering local homes and businesses.

This installation, being managed by AGL Energy, is supported by batteries that ‘talk’ to each other through a cloud-based platform that is part of a fully-connected virtual network. This cloud-based system will enable AGL to operate the system in a virtual environment. This replaces having to source electricity from large power stations outside cities.

The Australian government is fast-tracking investments in next-generation defence technologies under a $730 million funding program that was unveiled by the minister for defence industry, Christopher Pyne.

The Commonwealth’s “Next Generation Technologies Fund” incorporates a ten-year research and development program. This initiative was designed to deliver “game-changing capabilities” for the Australian Defence Force (ADF), according to minister Pyne.

In a show of support for regional R&D alliances, the Australian government has launched a Landing Pad in Singapore. This gateway will enable Australian companies to leverage innovation and technology expertise across the region.

With more than 3,500 multinationals headquartered in Singapore, this Landing Pad enables Australian entrepreneurs to access a broader network of contacts and opportunities. The aim is to provide a gateway to more than 600 million consumers across Southeast Asia.

The Australian government’s $50 million Smart Cities and Suburbs Program is under the spotlight under moves to bring local councils into 21st century planning programs.

A Future Ready initiative has been launched, featuring a series of webinars and masterclasses. This program was unveiled in Brisbane by Angus Taylor, federal assistant minister for cities and digital transformation.

The Department of Planning and Environment will open up its online portal for the lodgement of development applications under moves to streamline planning activities.

This one-stop shop program, unveiled by the minister for planning and housing, Anthony Roberts, is designed to save people time and make the entire development application process easier and more efficient.

The Australian government has moved to modernise IT systems that support health, aged care, and veterans’ payments under an RFP from the Department of Health. 

This latest RFP, due to close 4th April, will see a full-scale modernisation of wide-ranging IT systems. Future payments systems will leverage digital services and integration, among other emerging platforms.

Each year the federal government makes more than 600 million payments worth approximately $50 billion through the IT systems in support of health and aged care services.

The NSW government has launched a new entity, Defence NSW, to over-see innovative programs that bring together government, industry and higher education. 

This collaboration will increase opportunities for innovation, commercialisation and research within defence and the defence industry, according to industry minister, Niall Blair.