The Federal Government has announced it will be calling for comments from stakeholders on the draft program guidelines for the Digital Local Government Program.

 

The draft provides information on the purposes and objectives of the program, as well as the process councils will need to undergo to ensure eligibility for the initial funding round.

 

The $17.1 million Digital Local Government program aims to encourage the development and delivery of online solutions that the National Broadband Network (NBN) will provide. The Federal Government hopes the potential of NBN-enabled high-speed broadband can be used to improve the quality, availability and speed of local government services.

 

The Digital Local Government program forms part of the National Digital Economy Strategy's goal of establishing Australia as a leading digital economy by 2020. The Federal Government is aiming to ensure that by 2020, four out of five Australians will choose to engage with the different tiers of government through the internet.

 

The program will provide funding to local governments representing the first 40 communities to benefit from the National Broadband Network (NBN).

 

The announcement of the Federal Government's draft plans comes after Google commissioned Deloitte Access Economics group to study the monetary worth of the Internet to the Australian economy, which found that $130 billion dollars are contributed directly or indirectly through online activity every year.

 

Comments on the draft guidelines can be submitted by 5pm, Friday 9 September 2011 to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

To view the draft guidelines or to find out more about the Digital Local Government program visit: www.dbcde.gov.au/digitallocalgov