A study ranking Australia’s states and territories based on digital readiness found Tasmania to have the second lowest overall score behind the Northern Territory, with the state ranking lowest for human capital. 

Cyber challenges within the state were on the agenda at Enterprize on Thursday evening as part of a Tapas and Tech event.

Hosted by TasICT, in conjunction with the Launceston Chamber of Commerce and Eaglecrest Technologies, the event featured several presentations on cyber security. 

Eaglecrest Technologies chief executive David Pretorius said while Tasmanian businesses had been hesitant to adopt digital practices, progress was being made.

“The fact a lot of businesses in the state are relatively small means owners think they don’t need to spend money on IT,” he said.

“At the same time, IT businesses have been known to just talk tech rather than explaining what value they have to the company.

“I think it is starting to turn because there are people in Launceston like Errol Stewart who have money and are going to make sound investments if they know what is going on.

“If bodies like TasICT and Enterprize can connect investors with the start-up community, then we could see the change happen very quickly.”

A Deloitte Access Economics Investment Monitor report released in August showed investment in Tasmania had grown 32 per cent for the quarter and was up 44 per cent compared with June 2017.

Mr Pretorius said the development of the University of Tasmania’s Northern Transformation project would help facilitate a shift in the state’s digital readiness.

“I think it will happen in the next 12 months, particularly with the uni project moving forward,” he said.