STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 9:00PM, THURSDAY JULY 12^TH.

The Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, David O'Byrne, today congratulated Hobart entrepreneur Jared Hill on winning the 2012 Pearcey Award.

The honour was presented at the Australian Computer Society's iAwards dinner in Hobart.

The prestigious award is organised by the Pearcey Foundation - a non-profit group founded in 1998, in memory of the great Australian ICT pioneer, Dr Trevor Pearcey.

"The quality of this year's field is another tribute to the talented people driving innovation in Tasmania's burgeoning ICT industry," Mr O'Byrne said.

"We have some exceptional economic strengths in Tasmania, and our creative and resourceful ICT sector is fast becoming one of them.

"As a small, export-based state, we know we have to compete on quality and innovation - not bulk and price.

"The quality of ideas and creations coming out of our growing ICT sector follows that principle superbly.

"ICT isn't just a growing industry in its own right. Its products and expertise are a crucial enabler for other Tasmanian industries - providing the technology to innovate and reach new customers.

"The ICT industry is identified as a key growth sector in the State Government's Economic Development Plan - which focusses on diversifying our economy and playing to our natural strengths to find new markets and create the jobs of tomorrow," he said.

The award winner, Jared Hill, is the Managing Director of Insight4 - an experienced, award winning company, specialising in innovative software development and systems integration solutions.

He won for his project adoption of the Systems Interoperability Framework (SIF) into Australia.

"It is so important for awards like this one to celebrate the achievements of the ICT industry," Mr O'Byrne said.

"The Pearcey Award isn't just bestowed for the significance of the technology involved. It's also a personal award, recognising the winner's pioneering spirit, and the risks they've taken along the way," he said.

Tasmania will be fully connected to the National Broadband Network by 2015 - five years before other Australian states and territories.

"Tasmania has embraced the digital future and embarked on a vision of innovation," Mr O'Byrne said.

"The recently launched $42 million Sensing Tasmania Program (SenseT) is a major key example. It'll give Tasmania a world-first online sensor network.

"The NBN will now encourage many businesses to base themselves in Tasmania, to get and advantage in the digital economy," he said.

Today's awards dinner was preceded by the ACS's Symposium called "Awaken Your Digital state".