The group, dubbed Multinationals Promoting Local Investment, Export opportunities and Research Strengths (MultiPLIERS), is a joint initiative between the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) and the Federal Government. The group will meet twice a year to identify and capitalise on investment opportunities in the ICT industry.
MultiPLIERS will look at "ways in which these companies can increase investment in the sector here," a spokesperson for the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston, told ZDNet Australia . "It's to bring in more money from overseas to invest locally."
The spokesperson denied the scheme would sell out Australian innovations to overseas investors. "What we're looking at here is the talent brought in from overseas to enhance our current skill base," said the spokesperson. "These companies have a strong presence here [and] make an excellent contribution to the Australian industry [through jobs, investments and paying tax]."
The MultiPLIERS CEOs - heads of Australian operations - are intended to act as champions for the Australian ICT industry, promoting the local industry both within their companies and more widely. Alston has met with all the CEOs over the past year, according to the spokesperson, and sees MultiPLIERS as a way for the members to "gain strength through numbers".
Around 22 ICT multinational companies have already expressed an interest in MultiPLIERS, including IBM, Microsoft and Oracle, but membership remains open to "any multinational company that aspires to the goals [Alston] has set out," James McAdam, the general manager of policy at AIIA told ZDNet Australia.
"If we have an increase in research and development in Australia there are opportunities for local companies to leverage partnerships with multinationals as they increase their investment in Australia," said McAdam.
Other ways the group is intended to help the local industry are:
- Identifying barriers and impediments to investment opportunities and working to resolve them;
- Providing advice to Government on global trends and developments;
- Coordinating CEO participation in promoting Australia's ICT capabilities, and Helping to develop, implement and promote Invest Australia's Technology Australia brand.
