The Australian government has cut spending on technology products and services by $300 million between 2010 and 2012, according to a new report from the Department of Finance and Deregulation. The lt;igt;Analysis of Australian and Overseas contracts by the Australian Governmentlt;/igt; (PDF) report, which examines contracts worth more than $10,000 reported on AusTender, shows the total value of IT, broadcasting and telecommunications dropped by $300 million from $2.9 billion during 2010-11 to $2.6 billion during 2011-12. Engineering, research and other technology-based services also dropped by $300 million from $2.1 billion to $1.8 billion over the period. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe The government spent $32 billion in procuring contracts carried out by Australian suppliers in 2011-12, representing 78 per cent of the Commonwealth’s total procurement market of around $41 billion. ICT represents about 6.3 per cent of the total spend, with communications technology making up 2.2 per cent. Software made up almost 40 per cent of ICT spending at $948 million, while communications devices and accessories made up a quarter at $638 million. Mobile communications services (about $11 million) and mobile phones ($4.4 million) came last on the list of government ICT procurement costs. Minister for finance and deregulation, Senator Penny Wong, said in a statement that the “Gillard government is committed to helping Australian businesses through our procurement market, supporting jobs and enabling a strong and competitive Australian economy”. However, ICT makes up less than 10 per cent of total government spending, indicating that it’s not a high a priority. The digital economy in Australia is expected to grow from $US44 billion (3.3 per cent of GDP) in 2010 to $US67 billion by 2016. Follow Rebecca Merrett on Twitter: @Rebecca_Merrett Follow CIO Australia on Twitter and Like us on Facebook… Twitter: @CIO_Australia, Facebook: CIO Australia, or take part in the CIO conversation on LinkedIn: CIO Australia Related content feature 4 reasons why gen AI projects fail Data issues are still among the chief reasons why AI projects fall short of expectations, but the advent of generative AI has added a few new twists. By Maria Korolov Oct 04, 2023 9 mins Data Science Data Science Data Science feature What a quarter century of digital transformation at PayPal looks like Currently processing a volume of payments worth over $1.3 trillion, PayPal has repeatedly staked its claim as a digital success story over the last 25 years. But insiders agree this growth needs to be constantly supported by reliable technological ar By Nuria Cordon Oct 04, 2023 7 mins Payment Systems Digital Transformation Innovation news analysis Skilled IT pay defined by volatility, security, and AI Foote Partners’ Q3 report on IT skills pay trends show AI and security skills were in high demand, and the value of cash-pay premiums was more volatile but their average value across a broad range of IT skills and certifications was slightly do By Peter Sayer Oct 04, 2023 6 mins Certifications Technology Industry IT Skills brandpost Future-Proofing Your Business with Hyperautomation By Veronica Lew Oct 03, 2023 7 mins Robotic Process Automation Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe