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The State Government has confirmed its commitment to the ICT sector with the release of the Western Australian ICT Industry Development Strategy. ‘Enabling Future Prosperity’, the result of collaboration between Government and industry, provides an overview of the strategic environment in which the ICT industry is operating. It also provides a vision for the State’s role and outlines the priority actions the Government will implement to achieve that vision.

The Strategy is available in the right hand pane.

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The Western Australian Government recognises that a strong and vibrant ICT sector cannot be sustained by Government action alone or in the absence of the enthusiasm, drive and creativity of local industry. Success will depend on the ability of Western Australian ICT businesses to grasp the opportunities and confront the challenges of the global marketplace.

The role of Government is to provide an environment where local firms can develop the capacity and capability to take advantages of these opportunities. This requires cooperation and collaboration at all levels within the industry.

The Government’s approach to ICT industry development is therefore based on facilitating the establishment of effective and strategic partnerships in three aspects:

• Inter and intra-industry partnerships that promote better linkages, alliances, networking and the formation of industry clusters to promote complementary business activity, knowledge sharing and joint ventures
• Partnerships between the education sector and the ICT industry to meet industry needs for expertise and to foster an increased capacity for innovation and R&D
• Collaboration between the State and Commonwealth Governments to promote greater cooperation in the planning and funding of ICT industry development and infrastructure initiatives in Western Australia

The establishment of these partnerships is a central commitment of the Western Australian Government’s ICT industry development strategy.

Industry associations are a significant catalyst for maintaining the momentum in various ICT development areas. They are key drivers of networks between and across the community and Government on a wide range of issues.

The Western Australian Government has demonstrated a commitment to industry partnership by engaging in a close working relationship with these associations and the formation of several ICT advisory and consultative groups.

Taking WA companies to global markets

The limited scale of the local market dictates that a competitive export capacity and entry into overseas markets is essential to the development of the local ICT industry. Establishing a global competitive advantage and delivering products and services to international customers will be the key to the long-term sustainability of local firms.
The Government will be partners in this critical endeavour by working with industry to take local companies to global markets, by focussing on building export skills and knowledge, and marketing the State’s ICT to the world.

Having access to market information and advice, support in the promotion of local business capacities and access to investment opportunities is essential to the development of the industry. The Government will continue to ensure that WA’s significant ICT capabilities are marketed internationally and that local companies have quality information and access to markets as well as the skills, know-how and networks to leverage maximum opportunity in those markets.

Building export skills and knowledge

Internationally competitive ICT companies require a strong knowledge of export markets and the right skills and networks to deliver to those markets. This requires access to the best possible market information to identify appropriate export opportunities, as well as the management skills and knowledge to maximise these opportunities.

The WA Government is committed to working with the local ICT industry to ensure that they have access to the best available market information and opportunities by continuing to provide high quality export information services and where appropriate assisting through the Export Development Branch of the Department of Industry and Resources. The Government is equally committed to helping ICT companies gain the management skills, knowledge and networks necessary to grow and profit from these opportunities.

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