The Tasmanian Government has secured a deal with Australia’s largest locally owned ICT company, UXC to expand its operations in Tasmania, as ICT projects continue to prosper in the state.

Minister for Information Technology and Innovation Michael Ferguson said the deal, signed in May 2015, will see UXC transform its existing 12-person operation in Hobart into a large customer support centre, creating 50 new full-time jobs, and securing the existing positions.

The Tasmanian Government will invest over $25 million in major ICT infrastructure projects, as part of 2015-16 budget promises to improve Tasmania’s ICT capacity and enhance the delivery of services. The projects include:

  • $15.3 million for the Emergency Services Computer Aided Dispatch System
  • $2.8 million to progress the replacement of the Department of Treasury and Finance’s Budget Management System
  • $555,000 for the Integrated Tasmanian Government Contact Centre
  • $500,000 for a major upgrade of the Magistrate Court’s digital audio recording system
  • $483,000 for the development of supporting IT systems for cancer centres across the state
  • installation of wireless broadband networks using wi-fi technology in approximately 50 locations around the state.

These announcements follow the Tasmanian Government’s decision to open a discussion process around a Tasmanian Cloud in April, a plan set to streamline all government services, from educational institutions and emergency services, into one digital outlet.

The government has also announced it will continue to undertake a cost-benefit assessment of investment in the proposed SubPartners APX-Central undersea telecommunication cable spur to Tasmania.

“Encouraging Tasmanian businesses to capitalise on the digital economy is a key part of the Government’s information technology strategy,” Mr Ferguson said.