Municipal Association of Victoria Broadband Innovation Program

What is the MAV program?

A new $2 million program to accelerate use of next generation ICT by Victorian local government.

The MAV Broadband Innovation Program will provide support to local government to develop new ways of working.

The MAV program will be implemented by a MAV Broadband Project Officer who will identify opportunities for new/improved broadband services and support next generation broadband infrastructure and network rollout, access and effective use at the local government level, particularly in relation to local government activities such as broadband-enabled shared ICT services.

What will the MAV Broadband Innovation program achieve?

The MAV program aims to:

accelerate the effective use of 'next generation network' broadband services/applications in local government

develop approaches to reducing the digital divide between regional local governments and metro and regional governments

improve ability or rural and regional councils to exploit broadband as an enabler to improve services

improve access to skills and expertise at a regional level by sharing ICT systems

What benefits will the MAV Broadband Innovation program deliver?

The MAV Broadband Innovation program will enable Victorian local government to use next generation ICT to transform service delivery, work in new collaborative ways, and help respond to local challenges.

For regional communities, the MAV Broadband Innovation program will improve the type and quality of services, help build stronger communities with better connectivity, and improve sustainability by introducing new services to address economic, social and environmental issues.

The program will support projects that improve local amenity and economic performance through increased uptake of broadband enabled services.

What is the timeframe for the MAV Broadband Innovation program?

The program will run from March 2008 - March 2010.

How will the MAV Broadband Innovation Program fit in with other State and Commonwealth Government broadband initiatives?

The MAV Broadband Innovation Program is a grants program that will fund innovative use of next generation ICT by local government, particularly in regional areas.

The program will be jointly promoted with the collaborative Internet Innovation Fund.

The MAV Broadband Project Officer will assist in identifying and developing projects for funding.

Regional projects developed for program may use new broadband infrastructure or services established under the VicFibreLINKS program or other broadband programs.