Australia’s IT ‘readiness’ ranking drops

In a week when broadband policy has been the focus of much-needed debate, a new international survey has shown Australia slipping further behind key competitors in terms of our readiness to use and make the most of information technology, said Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox.

In 2013 overall rankings, Australia was 18th, down from 17th place in 2012 and 9th place in 2004. But its not all bad news. For example, in 2013 Australia ranks:

• 5th for installation of antipiracy software
• 6th for secure internet servers per million of population
• 6th for the intensity of competition in local markets
• 9th for government online services
• 9th for internet sales to consumers by business

“However, on measures of government procurement and promotion of IT, Australia’s performance was below average pointing to more opportunities in this area. Australia slipped in 2013 to:

• 58th for government procurement of advanced technologies, down from 36th in 2010-11
• 46th for ICT use and government efficiency, down from 31st in 2010-11
• 39th for government success in ICT promotion, down from 32nd in 2010-11

“In the latest 2013 Global Information Technology Survey produced by the World Economic Forum (WEF), in conjunction with the Australian Industry Group, businesses in 144 countries were surveyed on the availability, usage and impacts of information technologies (IT).

“In terms of IT usage, the international ranking for usage by the Australian community is 15th, by government 19th and by business a disappointing 25th.

“This reinforces both the need for high-speed ubiquitous broadband but importantly, the critical need to invest in lifting the skills needed to gain the greatest benefit from this infrastructure. To address this capability gap, businesses need the confidence and knowledge to invest and governments need complementary policies in areas like skills, innovation, removing regulatory barriers, cybersecurity and government ICT procurement and use.

“Lifting productivity is front and centre of the economic agenda and ICT adoption is an important part of this challenge. The OECD, for example, estimates that ICT investment accounted for nearly a third of Australia’s labour productivity growth between 2000-2009.

“In this election year, businesses are looking to all sides of politics for policies that support the rollout of high-speed broadband infrastructure and invest in the capabilities of the community and businesses to take advantage of it. These results highlight why those policies are so crucial,” Willox said.

Australian rankings in Global Information Technology Survey

Australian Industry Group is a Partner Institute of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Network and is responsible for carrying out the forum’s Executive Opinion Survey in Australia. The full Global Information Technology Report 2013 can be found at www.aigroup.asn.au/policy/reports.