Victoria to invest over $275m on digital transformation

The Victorian Government will invest more than $275 million in digital transformation initiatives aimed at modernising the government’s online systems to support the post-COVID recovery.

The government has allocated $195.9 million to establish Digital Victoria as part of plans to centralise and simplify the Victorian Government’s IT services.

The budget also allocates an additional $5.2 million to digitise business licensing through Service Victoria to reduce the time required to obtain a licence, and $75 million over the next four years to overhaul government regulation to expedite tasks like starting a home business or securing approval for a home renovation.

Meanwhile, the budget will separately include $75 million to bolster the state’s cybersecurity and combat the global increase in cyber threats.

“We want to support business owners who have done it tough this year by making things as easy and efficient as possible as we rebuild our economy,” said Victorian Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Government Services Danny Pearson.

“Whether it’s applying for a permit, or updating your rego, heading online should be simple and straightforward. Thanks to this investment, it will be. The global threat of cybersecurity attacks is a risk for Victoria — so we’re [also] strengthening our safeguards to ward off these threats.”

Other budget allocations aimed at facilitating recovery include $4 million to ensure that businesses taking part in government procurement processes are providing training and employment opportunities for women returning to the workforce and young people, and a $59.9 million investment in the Greener Government Buildings Program to fit hospitals and schools with solar panels and energy-efficient lighting.

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