Ann: Macquarie Telecom wins major Australian Gove, page-5

re: Ann: Macquarie Telecom wins major Austral... Macquarie Telecom has won a five-year deal to provide 12 separate federal agencies with internet services as the government consolidates them to shave millions off the budget.

The company’s hosting managing director Aidan Tudehope said the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Fair Work Australia and 10 other agencies would now use Macquarie Telecom to receive virus and hacker-free internet feeds.

He said the deal was worth “multi-million dollars per annum” and was part of Federal Government effort to shrink the number of internet gateways from 124 to just eight. As part of the win, Macquarie Telecom has upgraded its Financial Year 2013 capital expenditure guidance by $14 million to $48 million.

“Government agencies have a sizeable number of internet connections and they need to protect themselves from cyber attacks that come down the internet pipe into their agencies,” he said. “We’re providing clean internet so we’re making sure malicious attacks and viruses do not enter.

“We’re also responsible for making sure there isn’t any data leakage ... so important information leaving the agency.”

Under the plan all internet feeds would go to Macquarie Telecom’s new Sydney data centre to be checked and filtered before being sent on to the computers and email systems of public servants.

“We will be the only for DAFF as a lead agency gateway and all their sub-agencies, of which there are 11,” he said. “They cannot buy off someone else.”

The Tudehope said the deal was very significant but added the company did not expect to issue any profit or earnings guidance despite the increase in spending.

“This announcement is a clear milestone,” he said.

The full list of agencies involved in the deal are;

The Australian Antarctic Division, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, the Department of Innovation Industry, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Communities, Fair Work Australia, Geoscience Australia, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Wheat Exports Australia.

The Australian Financial Review

DAVID RAMLI

http://www.afr.com/p/technology/macquarie_telecom_wins_deal_to_sell_rnYOVQIupDeVgT4uVC0M0O