On 13 July 2004 the former Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, the Hon Daryl Williams AM QC MP, released Australia's Strategic Framework for the Information Economy 2004 - 2006: Opportunities and Challenges for the Information Age (File size: 422Kb). As the Australian Government's peak information economy policy document, the Strategic Framework provides the policy leadership and national direction needed to address new challenges to Australia 's position as a leading information economy.

The Australian Government's vision for Australia in the information economy and a national framework to achieve it was first articulated in A Strategic Framework for the Information Economy: Identifying Priorities for Action - December 1998 . Its release was followed by three progress reports (in July 1999, May 2000 (Strategic Framework for the Information Economy - Second Progress Report) and November 2002 (Advancing Australia - The Information Economy Progress Report 2002) which provide a comprehensive summary of the Australian Government's policies, programs and achievements in advancing the information economy. These progress reports illustrate the significant progress which has been made since the release of the original Strategic Framework .

Strategic framework for the information economy 2004 - 2006: Opportunities and challenges for the information age (File size: 422Kb) emerged from a national consultation process. It provides a policy platform for the renewed and heightened levels of effort and leadership required to guide Australia Government agencies and to assist all Australian organisations, public and private in dealing with the opportunities and challenges of the information age.

Information and communications technologies (ICT) have emerged in the last decade as a powerful tool for social and economic development. Since the release of the first Strategic Framework in December 1998, Australia has secured a position as a leading adopter and user of ICT, and a leading information economy. The 2004-2006 Strategic Framework recognises that keeping this position in a rapidly changing global environment requires coordinated action and constant leadership.

The 2004-2006 Strategic Framework identifies four information economy priorities which acknowledge Australia 's unique circumstances and focus on issues extending across government, community, social, business, sectoral, geographic and national boundaries. Each priority is supported by related strategies which set out a range of policy actions and programs currently being undertaken by Australian Government agencies.

The Strategic Framework emphasises the importance of collaborative arrangements in coordinating information economy activities across different sectors, and in a national and global context.

Australia 's vision for the information economy is where government, business and society are all connected, can participate with confidence, are open to innovation and can collaborate to maximise the economic and social benefits.

Four priorities and sixteen supporting strategies focus on a whole-of-government agenda.

1. Ensuring that all Australians have the capabilities networks and tools to participate in the information economy.
   Three supporting strategies focus on individuals, communities and sectors where additional effort is required to achieve wider uptake and effective use of technology.
2. Ensuring the security and interoperability of Australia 's information infrastructure and support confidence in digital services.
   Six supporting strategies include building collaborative arrangements across enterprise, agency and sectoral boundaries to address security and interoperability, encouraging a culture of security across the nation, increasing research and development on e-security issues, addressing online authentication, privacy, consumer protection and promoting confidence in online transactions.
3. Develop Australia 's innovation system as a platform for productivity growth and industry transformation.
   Four supporting strategies involve building an ICT innovation culture that focuses on education, skills formation and ICT literacy, creating capabilities and coordination mechanisms to integrate ICT in national research activities, as well as connecting to the global research effort and developing ICT industry capability.
4. Raise Australian public sector productivity, collaboration and accessibility through the effective use of information, knowledge and ICT.
   Three supporting strategies involve providing convenient access to government services and information, delivering services responsive to client needs, establishing governance structures particularly where multiple agencies are involved, integrating related services, building trust and confidence, enhancing closer citizen engagement and achieving greater efficiency and return on investment.