Page 3332 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 18 September 2013

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service mix. Along with the development of improved online security and identity arrangements, this will dramatically reduce the prevalence of hard-copy transactions for doing business with government. The use of high-definition video will be common for more complex interactions requiring real-time communication.

Almost every household will make extensive use of high speed broadband. Most will have multiple internet-connected devices. The OECD estimated that an average household with two adults and two teenage children had 10 internet-connected devices in their home during 2012. The OECD predicts that will have risen to 25 devices by 2017 and 50 devices by 2022.

The majority of Australian businesses will be using digital platforms for most of their marketing, business administration, service provision, recruitment and training. They will engage beyond their immediate region with an increasingly broad customer base. Businesses will also make extensive use of video and access a combination of both private and public clouds. Geography will no longer be the barrier to employment that it used to be. With the spread of teleworking and the use of digital platforms for business transactions and service access, more Australians will be able to seek employment in industries located in areas other than where they live. Telework will enable more people, including those with disabilities or carer responsibilities, to enter the workforce. The availability of telework will also allow more people to stay in the workforce longer and reduce congestion on the roads.

Australia’s digital industry sector will be thriving. More students will undertake courses leading to a career in this sector and the application of creative design thinking will lead to the development and commercialisation of new digital applications and services for global customers. Students at all levels of education living in any part of Australia or even overseas will have the opportunity to attend virtual classes taught over video technology by specialist teachers, complementing education in the classroom. It will be commonplace for students and others to undertake virtual visits to cultural, scientific and other institutions where the opportunity to have these experiences may have previously been out of reach due to geography or lack of resources.

Increasingly, the home will be an integral part of health and aged care service delivery, particularly for those with chronic disease. Care coordinators will use digital platforms to monitor key health indicators and assist with health education, medication management and rehabilitation of patients who are at home.

The digital economy will transform economic and social opportunities in regional Australia. Fast, reliable and affordable broadband enabled by the NBN will allow new businesses to be created around our region. The digital economy underpins every aspect of contemporary life. It has transformed the way we work, communicate, collaborate and connect with our communities and each other. It drives business transformation and innovation across all sectors.

The ICT industry generates some $91 billion of revenue and supports Australia’s $100 billion of the digital economy. The ICT industry contributes to as much of Australia’s economy as the mining sector and only marginally less than the


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