The Victorian government is investing in digital projects to help businesses and communities be better connected to create jobs and drive economic growth. The Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy recently announced the full list of digital projects from the Labor Government’s AUS$3.5 million Regional Digital Fund. The Fund supports a broad range of small-scale digital projects identified as priorities by the local Regional Partnership, investing up to $390,000 in each partnership region.
Projects are rolling out across the state including Strengthening Care for Children which provides telehealth access for those in the Wimmera Southern Mallee to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. In Gippsland, the fund is supporting around 120 local tourism businesses to access digital skills training and a one-on-one online or onsite mentoring service from a digital tourism expert.
Barwon, Central Highlands, Great South Coast, Goulburn, Loddon Campaspe, Mallee and Ovens Murray regions also have projects underway addressing digital connectivity skills helping residents and businesses move beyond geographical and social barriers to economic growth.
The Regional Digital Fund projects will help build digital technology infrastructure, skills and capability in regional Victoria, supporting the ongoing competitiveness of regional businesses, emerging industries and helping to create local jobs.
The Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy stated that improving access to digital technology creates jobs and connects communities. She added that investing in digital infrastructure and providing training for residents and businesses across regional Victoria sets up local communities for the future.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Regional Development stated that these projects are crucial for regional Victoria. Having access to reliable digital technologies helps communities stay connected and businesses adapt to new ways of doing things. She noted that where a person lives should not be a barrier to participating in the digital world.
The AUS$ 3.5 million Regional Digital Fund aims to support a broad range of important small-scale digital projects boosting digital technology infrastructure, skills and capability across regional Victoria. It is helping businesses and the community in regional Victoria by funding projects identified as priorities by each local Regional Partnership.
Many of these projects were shared as part of the Regional Growth Showcase, held during the Digital Innovation Futures (DIF) Festival in August-September 2021. The objectives of the Regional Digital Fund are to:
- act as a flexible grant program to support a broad range of small-scale digital projects – all projects are in, or for the benefit of, regional Victoria.
- help build digital technology infrastructure, skills and capability in regional Victoria, support ongoing competitiveness of regional businesses, emerging industries and help to create local jobs.
- help residents, communities and businesses move beyond geographical and social barriers to gain skills and build capability and economic growth.
- address digital objectives, priorities and gaps identified in the Regional Digital Plans.
31 different projects were funded by the Regional Digital Fund and are underway across Victoria. They fall into the categories of:
- Connectivity and infrastructure projects
- Digital capability and inclusion projects
- Digital hub projects
- Digital health projects
