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eBulletin, 2nd February 2012
Word from the Executive Officer
The year is well underway with events and projects currently in progress and many more to come throughout the year.
One event in particular worth trying to attend is the upcoming 'Meet the Founder' Event at Craig's Royal Hotel. This event is being held in collaboration with NICTA and will have David Haymes from Haymes Paint intverviewed about his career and business endeavours to date.
Two major research projects are currently in progress namely the ICT in Manufacturing study and the Internet access on Regional Trains study. Once this feedback is received we hope to be able to make some definite moves to implement these particular ICT infrastructures to better enable Ballarat and surrounding regions to be more connected and have the ability to work more efficiently.
Ballarat ICT's membership drive is well underway with many local businesses already signed up. If you or your business have any ideas on how Ballarat ICT can provide assitance to your business or help make the current membership offering more appealing to local businesses please send through your ideas to me at ian.fry@ballaratict.com.au
Regards,
Ian Fry
Executive Officer, Ballarat ICT Limited.
Upcoming Events
Meet the Founder- Haymes Paint
David Haymes will present at the first upcoming 'Meet the Founder' event.
Haymes Paint is Australia's largest 100% family owned and operated paint manufacturer. David Haymes took over the role of Managing Director in 1974. Under his leadership, along with his vision of "every person in Australia having the opportunity to try his products", the business has continued to grow.
Come listen to David chat about his entrepreneurial experience with our interviewer and be inspired!
Date: Tuesday 28th February, 2012
Time: 6.00pm Start (Canapes from 5.00pm - 6.00pm)
Venue: Craig's Royal Hotel
RSVP: katya.baxter@nicta.com.au by Thursday 23rd February 2012.
Ballarat ICT Breakfast- An Industry Perspective on Health.
Guest Speaker: David Freemantle, General Manager, Fred IT Group
Click here to view the event Flyer
Date: Tuesday 21 February 2012
Time: 7.30am for 7.45am (sharp)
Venue: TransACT Conference Room, Greenhill Enterprise Centre, Tech Park, University Drive
RSVP: Julie Anson via j.anson@ballarat.edu.au
Communications Alliance Annual Conference: Broadband and Beyond
Broadband and Beyond will traverse this new landscape, looking at how current media will adapt, how consumer expectations will be met, what will happen on the device-front and how convergence will change lives in Australia and throughout the world.
Date: Wednesday 22 February 2012, 8.45 am – 5.00 pm
http://www.broadbandandbeyond.com/register.html
Opportunities
Australian Government ICT Awards Program
The Department of Finance and Deregulation (Finance) administers a suite of Awards to recognise and promote excellence, innovation and professionalism in the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The Government ICT Awards Program was introduced in 2006 by the Australian Government to recognise the most outstanding initiatives in eGovernment and to promote excellence in the use of ICT across all spheres of government across Australia. Since their establishment the Awards program has been expanded to recognise outstanding professionalism by teams or individuals working in ICT in the Australian Government arena and to recognise outstanding practice in the use and impact of Government 2.0 tools.
The awards are open to all Federal, State and Territory and local government projects and employees.
More information can be found at: http://www.finance.gov.au/e-government/awards/index.html
The Vic ICT for Women Mentoring Program
Vic ICT for Women is currently seeking a mentor in Ballarat with a leadership history in ICT, prior to Friday 10th February 2012.
The Victorian ICT for Women mentoring program contributes to their objective to support Retention and Progression for women in the ICT industry in Victoria. This is a free, value-add service for Vic ICT for Women members to enable them to reach their ICT career and professional goals.
This program is designed to:
- assist the professional development of women in ICT
- provide the opportunity for ICT professionals to be a mentor and contribute to the ICT industry
- build confidence and self-esteem
- foster networking
For more information visit http://www.vicictforwomen.com.au/www/html/82-mentoring-program.asp or call Di Indrans on 0488 545 040.
Researchers in Business Grant
Would current, up-to-date research give you the cutting edge your business needs to be more competitive?
The Researcher's in Business (RiB) grant for businesses to have a researcher perform work for an organisation. The grant will match contributions from businesses up to $50,000 to hire a researcher to work with them on a project that will significantly impact the business. Businesses must be between $1M and $100M in turnover and have existed for at least three years. The University of Ballarat has several researchers interested in a variety of areas. There are researchers ready to start in Machine Learning and Text Mining, but if you are interested they can help to find a researcher as well.
More information about the grant can be found here: www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au
For direct information, contact Robert Layton at r.layton@icsl.com.au
NBN Update
Telcos urge revision to NBN regulation
Major internet service providers have opposed significant tenets of the proposed regulatory framework for the National Broadband Network.
In a rare example of solidarity between the current incumbent Telstra and its rivals, the telcos called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to reject NBN Co's special access undertaking in its current form.
Click here to view the article: http://www.itnews.com.au/News/288504,telcos-urge-revision-to-nbn-regulation.aspx
NBN delivers disability support services direct to doorstep
The Government is investing $4.9 million over three years to deliver the online video-based initiative which will improve access to qualified allied health and education services for families and children with disability in regional and remote communities, where such expertise may otherwise be scarce.
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2012/007
News of Interest
Optus wins copyright case over cloud service
The Federal Court has found Optus' TV Now service did not infringe the copyright by allowing users to record and later view AFL and NRL football matches on a mobile device at a later time.
In a judgment anticipated by media companies and cloud providers alike, Justice Steven Rares found the service itself did not infringe copyright "in the particular ways that the rightholders alleged".
The football codes were ordered to pay Optus' legal costs, with formal proceedings and further directions adjourned until this Friday.
Click here to view the full article
Tax board eyes cloud for IT migration
The Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) has made its first moves to separate from the Australian Tax Office's IT environment, calling for a cloud computing solution to serve as its primary ICT infrastructure.
The Federal Government agency, formed in March 2010 to replace six state-based boards, provides registration and code compliance services for tax agents.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/288558,tax-board-eyes-cloud-for-it-migration.aspx
Electronic Prescription System could help cut errors
Until now, there was little evidence electronic prescribing, where doctors enter prescriptions into computer programs that often include information on patients and the other drugs they are on, would cut medication errors, the study leader, Johanna Westbrook, said.
“But we found a significant and very large reduction in overall prescribing error rates . . . and in serious errors,” she said.
For more information visit http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/electronic-prescription-system-could-help-cut-errors-20120201-1qs3b.html#ixzz1l66bt63i