Fast Five: this week in IT, 26/08

27.08.2011
Your hand-picked five-minute wrap up of the biggest Australian IT stories of the week.

Financial and business software vendor, MYOB, is set to hire 27 new staff following its acquisition by Hong Kong-based software investor, Bain Capital, from a consortium including Archer Capital and investment company, HarbourVest Partners, for $1.2 billion.

Members of the private sector who were hoping that the federal government will come to their aid when a disaster strikes should think again according to the Attorney-General's first assistant secretary, Mike Rothery.

The NSW government has moved to restructure the Department of Health and has established a new agency, eHealth NSW, to reflect the growing role of technology in health provision.

Opposition communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has warned that a special access undertaking (SAU) lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) could see National Broadband Network (NBN) prices rise dramatically in future years.

With the success of the iPad, Apple faced difficulties in making improvements to its successor, the iPad 2. But with a faster processor, increasingly realistic graphics, two new cameras installed and its smaller and sleeker design, Apple has produced a tablet that can easily integrate itself into the working environment.

The Federal Government has tabled a report into the role and potential of the National Broadband Network (NBN), highlighting the need for initiatives to drive demand for services delivered by the high speed network.

Facebook has proven to be one of the biggest dangers in keeping undercover police officers safe due to applications such as facial recognition and photo tagging, according to a adjunct professor at ANU and Charles Sturt University.

The Federal Government is to investigate the role smartphones play in the acceleration of online gambling services in Australia and overseas under a broader review into its legislation.

The first Medicare Local in Australia will play a key role in the adoption of electronic health records. With the Lutwyche site up and running, CEO of Metro North Brisbane Medicare Local, Abbe Anderson, is turning her attention to expansion and the personally controlled health record (PCHR).

Telstra has confirmed that it will be set to roll out IPv6 later this year to all customers following impending IPv6 trials for its enterprise customers.