Major cash injection to boost Australia’s digital economy

Scott Morrison has lauded Google’s plan to invest $1bn into our digital economy, but it didn’t stop him from issuing a stern warning to the tech giant.

Scott Morrison has hailed a billion-dollar Google investment as a vote of confidence in the federal government’s digital strategy.

But the Prime Minister has warned the tech giant that regulation is on the horizon if the digital world is not cleaned up to meet real-world standards.

Speaking at the launch of Google’s $1bn Digital Future Initiative, Mr Morrison said the investment sealed the partnership between the tech giant and the government.

Google has announced it will invest $1bn into Australia’s digital future. Picture: Alain Jocard / AFP)

“Today's announcement by Google demonstrates that we are taking the right approach and it recognises the digital leadership that is necessary for Australia to emerge as a top digital economy by 2030,” he said.

“Not only in the role that government makes to play in enabling and supporting, but more importantly recognise that it is great private capital investors and entrepreneurs that actually will drive this change.”

Google will establish a research hub in Australia, funnel funding into cloud computing and the digital infrastructure and creating partnerships to help solve “Australian and global challenges”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the launch of Google's Digital Future Initiative. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

A five-year multimillion-dollar partnership with the CSIRO to explore clean energy and protect the Great Barrier Reef is one of the first projects to be announced under the deal.

Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said the announcement was a significant investment in Australia’s digital future.

“Google‘s growing presence across Australia reflects our deep confidence in the future,” Mr Pichai said.

“We believe a strong digital future is one where everyone has access to technology, the skills to use it where the internet economy fulfils its immense potential, and Australia‘s long tradition of innovation can grow and thrive.”

Mr Morrison used his address to Google executives to hammer home his vision for the digital world to be as safe as the real world.

Mr Morrison told Google executives the digital world must be as safe as the real world.

“We are not naive to the risks and to the challenges. Above all, we need to ensure that we apply the same rules to the digital world that exists in the real world,” the Prime Minister said.

“On one hand, we seek to encourage, of course, the massive investment in the jobs and opportunities and digital technologies that will generate here in Australia

“On the other hand, we need to put an equal amount of effort into making sure the digital world is safe and secure and trusted.

“Because that is the only way I think that we can ensure that we can realise the opportunities of the digital (world).”

Originally published as Major cash injection to boost Australia’s digital economy