The Commission of Audit's phase one report argues that the government should have a digital-first policy for all interactions with government, and a cloud-first policy for ICT service procurement. [ + ]

The cloud is sometimes touted as a money-saver, or at least a way to make management of expenditure easier - by turning CAPEX into OPEX. But there are hidden costs (like bandwidth) that should be taken into account when planning a cloud deployment. [ + ]

Australian organisations must better inform customers about how personal data will be handled, and those that voluntarily report data breaches will be given preferential treatment, OAIC commissioners said. [ + ]

A review of the fixed wireless and satellite portion of the NBN project has found that demand is up to three times greater than first planned, and recommended that NBN Co nearly double the number of base stations it is building. [ + ]

Your approach to securing software-as-a-service (SaaS) is wrong. But don't worry - it's not entirely your fault. [ + ]

A report from the CSIRO warns that hackers could steal billions of dollars and disrupt critical infrastructure in the cyberattacks of tomorrow. [ + ]

TechnologyOne has been awarded a multimillion-dollar contract with CQUniversity to replace the university's Oracle Peoplesoft system with new Student Management software. [ + ]

The Internet of Things (IoT) technology paradigm will have an even greater effect on enterprise IT security programs than the BYOD, cloud and mobility trends, Gartner analyst Earl Perkins believes. [ + ]

The Victorian government has allocated $9.5m over the next four years for a project to create a central government ICT procurement marketplace. [ + ]

Optus has announced plans to cut around 350 back-office jobs, in the latest example of Australian telcos' focus on improving efficiency in preparation for an NBN world. [ + ]

Australia's business intelligence and analytics market increased 9.5% in 2013, outpacing the global growth rate of 8%, according to Gartner. [ + ]

Startup Victoria, a non-profit organisation designed to support the state's high-technology startups, has launched with $100,000 in state government seed funding. [ + ]

Monash University researchers have designed a 'spaser' made of carbon, and the technology could eventually replace transistors in devices such as memory and displays. [ + ]

Queensland public sector ICT staff numbers have fallen by almost 25 per cent in less than two years, with further shake-ups likely to come. [ + ]

Who should take responsibility for a business process management (BPM) initiative - management or IT? An ostensibly simple question with a complex answer. [ + ]