Australian budget lends support to digital economy

The Australian government is strengthening the country's digital economy through new investments in artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security and digital government services, among other areas. The investments, aimed at bolstering Australia's competitiveness in the global technology sector, are part of the government's 2021-2022 budget, which was unveiled last week. The centrepiece of the budget is arguably the A$1.2bn Digital Economy Strategy, a set of policies and actions the government is taking to grow Australia's future as a leading digital economy by 2030. But to put that expenditure into perspective, it is less than half of the A$2.6bn earmarked for a single 6km road project in Adelaide – even as it is welcomed by some quarters of the technology industry.