![Data is at the heart of today’s government services. This is reflected in the federal government’s Data and Digital Government Strategy (the Strategy), which highlights its goal to use data, analytics, and technology to deliver simple, accessible services for people and businesses by 2030. As noted in the strategy, Australians expect personalised, integrated, and easy-to-use services from government entities they engage with. Such personalisation, especially across digital channels, is heavily dependent on data. Delivering such services becomes more effective when the data is more accurate and up-to-date. This is where real-time data comes into play. Why? Real-time data is more accurate because it is always up-to-date. This, in turn, improves the customer experience by enabling services to be more dynamic and interactive. However, because batch processing still accounts for the majority of data processing in government ranks, even the most recent data may become outdated when used to deliver government services. Engage with data in motion Batch processing is when the processing and analysis happen on a set of data that has already been stored for a period of time. This may be days, weeks, or even months, which just doesn't cut it for delivering dynamic and interactive citizen services. In recent years, data streaming has emerged as the technology that allows organizations to tap into their data in real-time in order to improve citizen engagement and experience. Event streaming, another name for data streaming, describes the continuous flow of data as it occurs. This enables true real-time processing and analysis for immediate insights. Streaming data distinguishes itself from batch processing by delivering the most up-to-date information when required. Apache Kafka, one of the most successful open source projects, is used by over 70% of Fortune 500 companies today and is well recognised as the de facto standard for data streaming. The open-source nature of Kafka lowered the entry barrier for working with streaming data, allowing companies to easily build use cases and solutions. However, as with all open-source software, there are limitations. Companies often end up spending more to efficiently manage, scale, secure, and evolve the streaming infrastructure. Why are we still using batch processing if data streaming is the future? Batch processing is still simpler to implement than stream processing, and successfully moving from batch to streaming requires a significant change to a team’s habits and processes, as well as a meaningful upfront investment. That is why Confluent has rearchitected Kafka to create a complete platform that provides a fully managed, cloud-native data streaming solution with the ability to turn data events into outcomes, enable real-time apps, and empower teams and systems to act on data instantly. Personalised for the people Confluent’s ability to utilise data as a continually updating stream of events rather than discrete snapshots means that public sector organisations can leverage data streaming to improve citizen engagement by offering personalised, data-driven services and insights. Confluent’s data streaming platform also enables real-time monitoring and analysis of government services and infrastructure, allowing public sector entities to quickly respond to critical events such as natural disasters or public health emergencies. At a more mundane level, Confluent supports data sharing and collaboration among government agencies, facilitating the seamless exchange of information to serve the public better and optimise resource allocation. And, importantly for government organisations, Confluent’s data streaming capabilities can enhance cyber security by detecting and mitigating threats in real time and safeguarding sensitive government data—a critical element in maintaining our national security. Indeed, 53% of Australian businesses surveyed in a recent Confluent study cited security and compliance awareness as the most applicable use cases for data streaming. It should come as little surprise, then, that industry analyst firm Forrester views Confluent as “an excellent fit for organisations that need to support a high-performance, scalable, multi-cloud data pipeline with extreme resilience.” Streamlining service improvement Data streaming is driving greater efficiency in more than three of four companies across Asia Pacific, according to Confluent research. Meanwhile, 65% of IT leaders polled see significant or emerging product and service benefits from data streaming. With this in mind, the potential for the government to do more with its data is clear, and personalisation is top of mind. Personalising citizen service experiences requires knowing who a customer is at any given moment. This is made possible by accessing data in motion, especially across multiple touchpoints. At the very least, this can help citizens avoid having to provide the same information over and over again as they interact with government agencies. And now, with Confluent assessed under the Australian Information Security Registered Assessors Programme (IRAP), government agencies with an Information Security Manual PROTECTED level requirement can use Confluent Cloud across Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. Australian government agencies will then be able to gather and share data across departments, offices, and agencies securely and at scale. This means even more government agencies will be able to tap data in motion to integrate information across their applications and systems in real time and reinvent employee and citizen experiences for the better.](https://publicspectrum.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Confluent-Advertorial.png)
Energys welcomes the Federal Government’s commitment in the 2024–25 budget, particularly the significant focus on renewable hydrogen, which aligns perfectly with their mission to pioneer hydrogen fuel cell technology. They are encouraged by the “Future Made in Australia” initiative, which promises to stimulate local manufacturing and enhance Australia’s role in the global clean energy sector.
“We are pleased that the government recognises the enormous economic potential of renewable hydrogen; the measures announced in the budget certainly demonstrate that the government understands hydrogen is here to stay.” Said Energys founder and VP, Noel Dunlop.
While the budget provides a robust foundation for the growth of the hydrogen industry, primarily targeting export markets, it lacks specific measures for boosting local demand for hydrogen products such as hydrogen vehicles, fuel cell power generators, and other hydrogen-based technologies like marine propulsion. Local adoption of these technologies contributes to energy independence and positions Australia to secure its industries against geostrategic oil supply issues and move decisively towards our net zero commitments.
The “Future Made in Australia” initiative is a step in the right direction and presents an extraordinary opportunity to rejuvenate our manufacturing sector. However, to fully realise this potential, more detailed strategies and incentives are needed to promote the local use of hydrogen. This would catalyse the domestic hydrogen economy and create the manufacturing capacity necessary to supply emerging global markets.
“It’s great that hydrogen production is being incentivised on such a large scale. We want to ensure that the Australian advanced manufacturing sector gets the full benefit of this.” Said Dunlop.
“Every hydrogen production project faces the same hurdle; who are the off-takers?” he said.
“Export customers for hydrogen are, at present, ill-defined and a long way off, as are the transportships. Right now, however, there are local adoption opportunities that are commercially viable. With some well-targeted government incentives for adoption, we can kickstart Australia’s broader hydrogen manufacturing sector now.”
To kickstart this sector, they urge the government to introduce specific incentives for the local adoption of hydrogen technologies. Such measures would ensure the development of a robust domestic market, drive industry growth, and support the expansion of manufacturing capabilities necessary for export. By doing so, Australia can establish a leading position in the global hydrogen landscape.
Energys is eager to engage with the federal government and other stakeholders to expand on these initiatives. They aim to enhance the support structures within the budget to ensure that they foster international competitiveness and bolster local market growth, bringing the ambitious vision of “Future Made in Australia” to fruition for the hydrogen sector.
Justin Lavadia is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum with a diverse writing background spanning various niches and formats. With a wealth of experience, he brings clarity and concise communication to digital content. His expertise lies in crafting engaging content and delivering impactful narratives that resonate with readers.