{"id":"F2017L01385","name":"Industry Research and Development (Digital Careers Program) Instrument 2017","slug":"industry-research-and-development-digital-careers-program-instrument-2017","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":439370,"registerId":"F2017L01385-fast-fetch-1775955425057","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Industry Research and Development (Digital Careers Program) Instrument 2017","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nIndustry Research and Development (Digital Careers Program) Instrument 2017\n\nI, Michaelia Cash, Minister for Employment, make the following instrument.\n\nDated 20 October 2017\n\nMichaelia Cash\n\nMinister for Employment  for the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Definitions\n\n5 Prescribed program\n\n6 Specified legislative power\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Industry Research and Development (Digital Careers Program) Instrument 2017.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument The day after this instrument is registered. 25 October 2017\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.\n\n4  Definitions\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.\n\nICT means information and communications technology.\n\n5  Prescribed program\n\n  For the purposes of subsection 33(1) of the Act, the program specified in item 1 of the following table is prescribed.\n\n \n\n- Prescribed program\n- Item Column 1Program Column 2Description and purpose of the program\n- 1 Digital Careers Program Financial assistance to address Australia’s ICT skills shortage by:(a) increasing awareness, interest and participation among school students in computational thinking and digital technologies; and(b) increasing awareness of career diversity and job opportunities for students studying ICT, science, technology, engineering, mathematics and related disciplines; and(c) providing educational and training material and professional development for educators delivering the digital technology curriculum and coordinating associated activities.\n\n\n6  Specified legislative power\n\n  For the purposes of subsection 33(3) of the Act, the powers of the Parliament to make laws with respect to the following are specified:\n\n (a) external affairs (within the meaning of paragraph 51(xxix) of the Constitution);\n\n (b) postal, telegraphic, telephonic, and other like services (within the meaning of paragraph 51(v) of the Constitution).\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument does not change the substantive scope of the parent Act; it formally prescribes a named program and records its purpose and the constitutional powers relied on (ss 3, 5, 6). It does not itself create detailed eligibility rules, funding amounts, or administrative procedures, so it leaves implementation scope to subsequent administrative actions under the Act."},"complexity_factors":["Short, single-purpose instrument with limited provisions (Name, Commencement, Authority, Definitions, Prescribed program, Specified legislative power).","Depends on external statute: made under s33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 (s3).","Prescribes a program by table entry rather than detailed rules; operational detail (eligibility, amounts, processes) is left to administrative instruments or funding instruments.","Minimal definitions (only ‘Act’ and ‘ICT’) reduce internal complexity but increase reliance on other instruments and departmental policy for implementation (s4, s5).","Specifies constitutional heads of power relied on (external affairs and communications) without elaboration, which is routine but legally significant (s6).","Administrative discretion and funding decisions are implicit (who pays and eligibility determined administratively), creating implementation and compliance dependencies outside this instrument (s5)."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument, made under section 33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986, formally prescribes the \"Digital Careers Program\" as a program eligible for government financial assistance. It sets the program purpose: address Australia’s ICT skills shortage by increasing student engagement with computational thinking and digital technologies, raising awareness of ICT career paths, and providing educator resources and professional development (item 1). The instrument names the legal basis and constitutional powers cited (ss 3, 5–6). It affects the Minister, the administering agency and potential grant recipients."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument remains tightly focused on its original purpose of prescribing the Digital Careers Program under section 33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986. There is no evidence of scope creep; the document is a simple, single-purpose legislative instrument."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (6 sections, approximately 1 page of substantive content)","Only 2 defined terms ('Act' and 'ICT')","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the parent Act (Industry Research and Development Act 1986)","No conditional logic, exceptions, or nested provisions","Simple tabular structure for the prescribed program description","Straightforward purposive provisions without operational detail"],"plain_english_summary":"The instrument formally establishes the Digital Careers Program, allowing the government to provide grants and funding to address Australia’s ICT skills shortage. It targets school students, ICT/STEM students and teachers by supporting engagement, career awareness and educator training. Crucially, it prescribes the program under the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 so the Commonwealth can lawfully spend public money, relying on the external affairs and telecommunications constitutional powers."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-digital-careers-program-instrument-2017","history":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-digital-careers-program-instrument-2017/history","analysis":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-digital-careers-program-instrument-2017/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-digital-careers-program-instrument-2017/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-digital-careers-program-instrument-2017/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-digital-careers-program-instrument-2017/documents"}}