It is an exciting time in the Australian ICT industry and I am pleased to be leading the peak representative body at this time.

2006 has been a very positive year for AIIA.  As our industry continues to evolve, so too does the Association. 

In 2006, AIIA has grown to represent more than 450 member companies that generate combined annual revenues of over $40 billion, employ 100,000 Australians and have exports of more than $2 billion.

AIIA today launched its new online directory, FindICT.

FindICT is business matching service that links ICT buyers to software, hardware and services suppliers in a few simple clicks. 

Customers can access an online database and search for companies based on a range of criteria including location, service or product type and budget. The database will then match the criteria with any number of AIIA’s 450+ member companies.

www.findict.com.au

For the past three years, AIIA has been working closely with member companies to develop a voluntary industry-driven product stewardship strategy to address the environmental management of e-waste at the end of life stage of the product lifecycle. 

A sustainable environment is a key driver for many governments and plays an important role in their policy development.  The issue also has a high profile and, as the peak ICT industry association, AIIA views it as important that we are leading developments in this critical area.  AIIA wants to keep members up to date with important movements in this area, as it affects not only our industry but the wider Australian community.

AIIA, representing its 450 plus member companies, has taken responsible action to develop a viable, equitable and sustainable hardware recycling scheme and presented our proposal to government.  Members of our Environment Special Interest Group (which include Apple, Canon, Dell, Epson, Fujitsu, Fuji Xerox, HP, IBM and Lexmark) have invested considerable resources in the development of the recycling strategy.

This proposal has been based on the principle of shared responsibility.  All facets of the hardware industry, in concert with government, must work together on an agreed outcome.  Any proposed scheme must be equitable in ensuring we maintain competitive neutrality, sustainable over the long term, be balanced in terms of the costs and benefits and have sound environmental outcomes.

With a substantial proportion of the e-waste arising coming from importers and whitebox assemblers who are not members of AIIA, it is imperative that any scheme contains a mechanism to ensure that these companies can be encouraged to participate.  AIIA’s proposal would ensure that both our members and the broader hardware industry (importers, distributors, small brands and assemblers) would contribute equitably.

This ensures that those of our members who are dedicated to the concept of a recycling scheme (most major brand-name PC vendors have been had programs in place for years), will not pay for unbranded and orphan waste – in other words, the waste of other companies.

We believe that the proposal we made to government in November for a voluntary industry wide scheme is a balanced and sensible approach which will deliver benefits to the community while ensuring no segment of the hardware industry is commercially disadvantaged.

AIIA has actively encouraged participation from all of industry and has invited non-AIIA members to be involved in the development of our proposal.  However, the Association is not responsible for companies that fall outside our membership and has relied on government officials’ to engage this segment of the industry.

Moving forward, AIIA will work with member companies, governments and other stakeholders to further the dialogue with government on the challenging issue of engaging small brands and importers of components in the proposed scheme.

We intend to write to the chief executive officers of each non-participant hardware company to restate our position and invite them to join AIIA in the debate on this and other important industry issues. 

AIIA remains committed to our proposal, and will continue to urge governments across Australia to develop a recycling scheme that is driven by a voluntary industry approach and based on the principles of shared responsibility.

As the industry’s voice, we will also embark on a more aggressive community relations campaign, including sustainability-themed events, to ensure the industry’s views and proactive approach are understood by the wider Australian business community and the end-users of computer equipment. 

Should you wish to seek further information, please visit our website where our positioning papers are held for public viewing.

On 5 December 2006, the Federal Parliament passed the Copyright Amendment Bill that had been introduced to Parliament on 19 October 2006. The Bill implements the outcomes of several copyright law reviews during 2005-2006 and also implements Australia’s remaining obligations under the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement by implementing a new liability scheme for the circumvention of technological protection measures (TPMs).