Digital economy plan a win-win
06 May 2021
A new strategy to drive digital innovation and investment will help put Australia on the path to becoming a leading digital economy and give Australians a chance to get new jobs in new and emerging industries, Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.
“People want easier, more convenient ways of doing business so making Australia a leading digital economy is win-win. This makes everyday life easier for consumers and it creates new jobs.
“The slow drift away from cash and paper before COVID-19 became a stampede during the pandemic.
“The government’s Digital Economy Strategy is a chance to build on this momentum to make lives easier and position ourselves for the future.
“Crucially, this package will help make our tax system more modern and provide incentives to businesses who want to upgrade their technology, do things more efficiently and make life easier for consumers.
“This strategy will help drive digitisation, particularly for the small and medium size businesses most at risk of being left behind by the pace of rapid change.
“By digitising these businesses will have the chance to take up e-invoicing and to get paid quickly, innovate, grow and employ more people.
“We thank the government for listening and acting on the concerns of business by embracing our recommendations to address shortcomings in the skills system. Today’s changes including a digital cadetship will let workers get the skills they need to get the jobs they want by learning on the job with tech sector businesses who know the skills they need.
“The strategy will also supercharge Australian innovation with scholarships to get students job ready and give them the expertise they need.
“We look forward to working with the government to build on these changes to make a more flexible, faster skills system that puts Australians in the box seat for new jobs.
“This is a sensible plan with a focus on skilling up workers for new jobs quickly, making sure tax settings provide the same flexibility for digital investments as physical ones, and ensuring Australia can attract the most innovative businesses in the world.
“It is critical that as a nation we continue to build on this momentum to drive connectivity, productivity and efficiency and create a new wave of much-needed jobs.”