'Interact 98' IT festival

The Interact 98 Asia Pacific Multimedia Fesitval will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre from 28 - 31 October.

Two major new exhibitions - the PC IT Show and School Tech 98 - will join this year's Festival.

Interact 98 will also incorporate a three-day expo for families - in a first for the event.

In addition to the broader focus of Interact 98, highlights will include:

• e-Business symposium - targeted at businesses who want to explore online opportunities;

• Asia Pacific Smartcard Forum 98 - which offers a comprehensive seminar program on the technology and applications of smartcards;

• Australian Interactive Multimedia Industry Association (AIMIA) Awards - recognising Australian industry excellence in outstanding multimedia applications and products;

• Culture Track - an arts and cultural program that showcases the use of multimedia and online technologies by arts and cultural organisations;

• ATA Telecon'98 - the Australasian Teleconferencing Association's annual conference; and

• Government on the Line - a national conference hosted by the Institute of Public Administration - highlighting the opportunity of electronic service delivery for government.

• Innovating Business 98 - which brings together small-to-medium enterprises investors, and government agencies to present practical advice on attracting investment.

Mr Stockdale said that Interact's growing stature made it a draw card for leading IT industry personalities.

"Kevin Kelly the editor of Wired, the world's most read IT magazine will launch his book - New Rules for a New Economy at Interact, while John Wall, the President of NASDAQ, the New York-based stock exchange, which lists most of the world's leading IT companies, will be a keynote speaker at the Virtual Opportunities Congress, another Interact Festival highlight."

"We have already had confirmations from government and business delegations from Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the US, Thailand, China, Indonesia and New Zealand, with more expected."

The Interact Festival, which is sponsored by Multimedia Victoria, is an important part of the Victorian Government's Victoria 21 strategy to make this State a global centre for multimedia and IT excellence, particularly in the Asia Pacific region.

For more information about Interact '98 is available at www.interact98.com.au

(News Release, Minister for Information Technology and Multimedia, September 25, 1998)