NSW government commits $3 million to Interactive Media Fund

13.10.2011
Digital media companies in NSW are set to get a boost, with funding of $3 million over the next two years.

Deputy premier and minister for trade and investment, Andrew Stoner, said that the $3 million Interactive Media Fund of would support digital content development, such as electronic games.

"This fund represents a renewed focus on interactive content, a key element in digital innovation with the ability to benefit other sectors such as health, finance and education," he said.

Stoner noted that in May he announced funding for , which received endorsement from industry bodies such as the Games Developers Association of Australia and the Screen Producers Association of Australia.

"We're also increasing the amount of enterprise funding available under the Interactive Media Fund from $100,000 to $250,000 to better help expanding companies bring in specialist skills to work across complex projects," Stoner said.

Stoner also announced a NSW ICT industry taskforce to create a NSW Digital Economy Industry Action Plan.

Turning to the ICT industry task force, he said the group would work with the NSW government to develop a 10-year Digital Economy Plan with input from the greater NSW region.

The plan would focus on subsectors expected to support long-term productivity and export opportunities, including digital content and applications, information services, analytics, and smart networks.

Stoner said that ICT industry members, as well as the public, were invited to register their interest by following the plan link on the or on Twitter by following #iapnsw.

Members of the NSW Digital Economy Industry Action Plan Taskforce include:

IBM Australia research and development director, Glenn Wrightwick (chair)

Omnilab group digital services executive director, Tom Kennedy

Freelancer.com chief executive officer, Matt Barrie

Telstra applications group managing director, Deena Shiff

Ausgrid executive general manager, Peter Birk

The Project Factory director, Jennifer Wilson

OneVentures managing director, Dr Michelle Deaker

CSIRO information services group executive, Dr Alex Zelinsky

Foxtel chief information officer, Robyn Elliott .

Earlier this month, NSW minister for finance and services, Greg Pearce, .

In March, the newly elected Coalition government said it would have a focus on ICT.

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU