The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation has estimated that digital innovation has the potential to deliver $315 billion in gross economic value to Australia over the next decade, with the possibility of generating a quarter of a million new jobs by 2025.
On a global scale, Australia’s fixed broadband speeds lag far behind comparable developed countries and the quality, reliability and affordability of data services across WA varies greatly.
Strategic justification
It is important that WA recognises digital connectivity infrastructure as a strategic asset and a major enabler for economic development and social equity. Data indicates that the international competitiveness of Australia’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector is slipping. In 2019, Australia ranked seventh out of 16 countries across 24 indicators and, over 2 years, fell in rank in more than half of the indicators, including internet access, ecommerce and capabilities in the ICT sector. In terms of digital readiness (how well a jurisdiction is positioned to benefit from the internet economy), WA ranks fourth of all Australian jurisdictions on the Cisco Australian Digital Readiness Index.
