It was the quiet week before the storm of the federal Budget. Still, we have a new quantum strategy, and will soon have a new privacy commissioner. Also in the news, former NSW services minister Victor Dominello.
Here are the digital developments from Canberra I’ve noticed in the week since the previous edition on 29 April.
- Australia has its very first National Quantum Strategy, which I haven’t read.
- Labor will appoint a dedicated privacy commissioner to combat data breaches, and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner will be restored to a three-commissioner structure after defunding by the Coalition.
- We have the committee report on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Consumer Data Right) Bill 2022 [Provisions]. There’s only one recommendation, namely that the bill be passed.
- “Australia will spend $46 million acquiring up to 80 bomb disposal robots for the Australian Defence Force under a new contract with Brisbane-based manufacturer L3Harris Micreo,” reports InnovationAus.
- Finally, it’s not a Canberra move as such but it will make a difference. Former NSW services minister minister Victor Dominello will head a new UNSW-UTS hub driving trustworthy digital services. The job is only one day per week, apparently, so there’s still room for him to make trouble in other ways.
Please let me know if I’ve missed anything, or if there’s any specific items you’d like me to follow.
Parliament returns this coming Tuesday 9 May for the Budget session so I’m bound to have quite a bit of detail for you next week.
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[Photo: Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science.]