Feds to deliver digital reform agenda within six months

Cooperation between the various levels of Government and industry bodies will be required to drive forth digital economic reform, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has said.

Speaking at the closing of the Realising our Broadband Future forum in Sydney, Conroy outlined the Government's plans for ideas and content generated in the two-day physical and virtual gabfest.

Conroy claimed that over 60,000 people had "connected" to the event wikis and that the forum had generated in excess of 3,300 Tweets.

The live video stream also received 25,000 hits and "almost 400 gigabytes of data" was served, he said.

Conroy said that "Government agencies with a policy or program responsibility for an industry or community sector must now work together to assess each challenge and every opportunity" identified in the forum.

"I will then coordinate a report to Government that draws together this work," Conroy said.

"We will consult further with industry and community bodies to ensure this report is both comprehensive and practical.

"The report will be considered by Government within the next six months."

Among other things, the report would identify "priority areas for action by business, government and the community.

"This will ensure Government agencies incorporate planning for Australia's digital economy future as part of their core business," he said.

He conceded that cooperation at the various Government levels was required to deliver outcomes, particularly in areas such as digital education and e-health.

"The ability for multiple government agencies at the Commonwealth, State and Territory levels to work together will be central to our strategy," he said.

Conroy also said the Government would "reach out to peak business and community sector bodies to seek their contribution to this reform process.

"These bodies must also reform their thinking to make the digital economy front and centre of their work," he said.

"Important opportunities for Australia's digital economy future will be missed if this is left entirely to Government agencies."