OpenOpp tracks gov’t SME progress


James Riley
Editorial Director

As digital transformation investments reshape the way Australian governments deliver services to the public, it is also changing the way these governments engage with the tech industry and with smaller Australian innovators.

The Digital Transformation Office’ creation of a Digital Marketplace pilot program to buy digital services is just one example in a series of initiatives that is changing the buyer-supplier relationship between government and industry.

These changes can deliver enormous benefit. Better services delivered at lower cost is part of the ambitious aims of such programs.

But there is an industry development element to these digital transformation changes in government. It presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build capacity, and to create an export-facing industry.

InnovationAus.com will host its second annual Open Opportunity forums at two half-day events in Sydney and Canberra in late November to chart the progress of public sector digital transformation.

The forums – sponsored by CSIRO unit Data61 and supported by a host of state and federal departments and agencies – have a particular focus on tech procurement strategy, innovation industry engagement, and the central underpinnings of cybersecurity.

The Open Opportunity Sydney forum will be held on Thursday November 17. You can read more detail here.

While the Sydney event will cover each of the three themes of digital transformation, tech procurement/industry development, and cybersecurity, it will focus more heavily on the industry side of the equation and how the local industry can take advantage of these opportunities.

The Open Opportunity Canberra forum will be held on Thursday November 24 at the QT Hotel. You can read more detail here.

The Canberra forum covers the three themes of digital transformation, tech procurement/industry development, and cybersecurity, it will focus more on the public service side of the equation.

InnovationAus.com is proud to welcome as speakers the top-tier of industry leadership and public sector thinking in this space:

  • Angus Taylor, Assistant Minister for Smart Cities and Digital Transformation
  • Paul Shetler, CEO, Digital Transformation Office
  • Martin Hoffman, Secretary, NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation
  • Adrian Turner, CEO, Data61
  • Dr Rachna Gandhi, Chief Executive Officer, Service NSW
  • Lynwen Connick, First Assistant Secretary Information Sharing and Intelligence, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
  • Nicholas Gruen, Chairman, Australian Centre for Social Innovation
  • Matthew Landauer, Co-Founder OpenAustralia Foundation and former Head of Product, DTO
  • Marcus Price, CEO, PEXA
  • John-Paul Syriatowicz, Group CEO, Squiz
  • Pia Waugh, Public Sector Data expert
  • Nick Gonios, CEO, 8common

The Open Opportunity Forum 2016 is the second time InnovationAus.com has hosted this event. Anyone who has been to these events last year will know they are kept fairly intimate: Seats are limited.

The digital transformation of governments across Australia has accelerated tremendously in the past 12 months, and will continue to gather momentum over the next year.

These changes present a moment in time where the challenges are great, but the opportunities are enormous.

These opportunities should not be viewed only from the perspective of government. It also presents huge opportunities for the local industry and for the Australian economy.

Do you know more? Contact James Riley via Email.

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