Hi there,

After three months of Covid-free status, New Zealand has joined Australia in battling the virus in the community again, albeit on a much smaller scale, and the vexatious issue of contact tracing technology has, like the virus, resurged.

New Zealand has had the time to prepare for a second outbreak. We’ll see in the coming days how well it has done so, and we’ll also see what role technology can play in contact tracing.

Despite a cacophony of debate, what we do know is that technology was never a real focus for New Zealand’s contact tracing. Their Covid Tracer app – which unlike CovidSafe has no Bluetooth functionality – wasn’t released until late May, two weeks after businesses were told to maintain their own contact register. It provided little benefit for users and flopped.

That changed this week with the reappearance of Covid in the community. Downloads of the app skyrocketed overnight, it is now mandatory for businesses to display the QR codes and for the first time, the app has been used to push out alerts (although statisticians among you will deduce the likelihood of a hit is negligible).

We take a look at New Zealand’s contact tracing – including the unique ‘CovidCard’ option which is (or was) about to be trialled – and what individuals can do, in Australia as well as New Zealand, to aid the very human process of contact tracing.

In other news:

Tech-led recovery runs counter to govt IT spending cuts
BCG and Accenture advisories on supply chain resiliency
What's so difficult about creating an official digital identity?
Bega combines cheese with high tech hives for honey bees

Cash flow is always crucial for business. But never more so than now, when accelerating your cash conversion cycle and freeing up unproductive cash could be a godsend. We’ve got the guide to do just that.

Enjoy the read,

Heather Wright
Editor
editor@istart.com.au

CONTACT TRACING

Covid resurgence: A Kiwi guide to contact tracing

NZ contact tracing is under a blowtorch…

Despite all the analysis on personal contact tracing technologies, the official conclusion, at least in this part of the world, seems to be that they have contributed little to health authorities’ response to the pandemic.

In the midst of lockdowns, willingness for contact tracing is likely to be much higher – for now at least.

[Read more]

GOVT TECH SPENDING

A/NZ Govt IT spend slump deeper than global

In the wake of Covid-19, state spending on IT is set to shrink across Australasia…

Gartner’s latest research offers a grave forecast for the tech sector Downunder, with declines in state-level spending significantly greater than the global average.

Governments are spending large to build community resilience to the Covid-19 threat.

[Read more]

DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN

BCG, Accenture call for A/NZ supply chain reset

In the rush for efficiency and lean supply chains, did we forget resiliency?…

We have lean, just-in-time supply chains, but we’re not geared up for resiliency – and Covid-19 has shone a harsh spotlight on the need for resiliency and digital supply chains.

“True supply chain resilience comes from strengthening the strategic view of supply chains and investing in digital supply chain technologies.”

[Read more]

DIGITAL IDENTITY

Inching towards a digital ID reality

How long until Australasia joins the digital ID future?…

There are plenty of great reasons for national digital IDs: Frictionless payments, better health recordkeeping even the transformation of government services as we know them.

Providing immeasurable benefits of better medical tracking of Covid-19 infections, effective national digital ID scheme is overdue.

[Read more]

SAVE OUR BEES

The beehive gets a high tech makeover

Saving the bees with solar powered IoT and AI…

Australia’s Bega Cheese is harnessing technology to keep the honey bees flying – and Australia’s agriculture buzzing too.

“It was clear we needed to invest in technology and innovation to support the future of our honeybees, beekeepers, and in turn, agriculture.”

[Read more]

CLIENT INSIGHT

Whitepaper: How to make your cash work harder for you

Free up your cash trapped in inefficient AP and AR processes…

Businesses are realising the importance of an optimised cash conversion cycle and tools that provide full visibility into the day-to-day AP/AR processes that have a big impact on cash flow.

Day-to-day payables and receivables processes have a big cash impact on a business.

[Read more]

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