Whether it’s preserving Australia’s indigenous languages, helping marine biologists track endangered dugongs, or supporting doctors to detect prostate cancer more quickly, more and more Aussie researchers, organizations and businesses are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help tackle big problems.

In fact, we believe that there are numerous other challenges that could be addressed with AI and have made it our mission to make the benefits of these technologies available to everyone. Helping foster AI talent with programs like online AI courses for teachers is a key component of that.

Today, we’re excited to announce the Australian recipients of two global research grants.

Google TensorFlow Faculty Award 
Mary-Anne Williams, Distinguished Research Professor of the School of Computer Science at UTS has been awarded a “Google TensorFlow Faculty Award" for 2019 to develop educational content with TensorFlow 2.0, Google’s open-source machine learning platform. She’ll be receiving financial support and technical mentorship from the Google TensorFlow team to help her develop a machine learning course, as well as Google Cloud credits and access to Tensor Processing Units, custom-built computer chips made for machine learning.

Google Faculty Research Awards
In Spring 2019, we opened our annual call for the Google Faculty Research Awards, a program focused on supporting world-class technical research in Computer Science, Engineering and related fields at some of the world’s best computer science departments. Five researchers from University of Adelaide and Monash University will now be supported with funding for one year to help them advance their research in areas like algorithms and security:

• Sebastian Baltes, Markus Wagner and Christoph Treude, University of Adelaide. The team is working on developing and evaluating techniques that can automatically detect issues in software documentation to remove barriers, biases, and obstacles for non-native speakers and open up the software development community to a more diverse group of participants. 
• Graeme Gange and Peter J. Stuckey, Monash University. Graeme and Peter aim to extend multi-threaded constraint solvers, which search for solutions to complex combinatorial problems faced in many industries. This research will enable these solvers to learn efficiently, not only from each thread's own mistakes, but from each other's, too. 
• Marcel Böhme, Monash University. Marcel is working on ‘fuzzing’, a technique to automatically discover security vulnerabilities in software. 

For the 2019 awards, we received 917 proposals from about 50 countries and over 330 universities, with all proposals undergoing an extensive review process involving 1100 expert reviewers across Google who assessed the proposals on merit, innovation, and alignment with our research philosophy.
Posted by Marie Efstathiou, Program Manager, Computer Science Outreach and University Relations, Google Australia

The spread of COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the health, jobs and lives of millions of Australians and people around the world. We’ve all had to make fundamental changes to the way we live and work, and businesses everywhere have been impacted. Yet we’ve also heard inspiring stories of health care workers on the front lines, businesses providing vital resources and support, and families and communities being there for one another—showing us that if everyone plays their part, we can and will get through this together.
Overcoming a crisis of this scale will take a sustained effort, and we want to do everything we can to help. Since the virus first began to spread, our focus at Google has been on making sure people have the information and tools they need. But we know there’s much more work ahead.

Today, we’re sharing the actions we’re taking to support Australia both in the ongoing short-term response to the virus and in the longer-term, concentrating on three priorities:

• Promoting authoritative and reliable information; 
• Supporting education and learning; and 
• Contributing to business continuity and economic recovery. 

We’re working closely with government, business, the health and education sectors, not-for-profits and community organisations to ensure people can get help when they need it most. We want to build on our existing partnerships and programs to support Australians, while responding to the urgent challenges we now face.

Promoting authoritative and reliable information sources 
It's crucial that people have access to health information they can trust online, so they can make the right decisions to protect themselves and those around them from COVID-19. We've surfaced the latest updates and health advice from government and health authorities, promoted awareness campaigns, shared travel advisories, and provided regular updates on the Search trends we are seeing as Australians look for help and information.

We’ve also provided ads credits to the Australian Government to help communicate information to the public, while the Department of Health’s Coronavirus Australia App, built on Google Cloud, provides real-time information and advice about the fast-changing pandemic.

To ensure Australians have access to all the latest information in one spot, we’ve launched a local COVID microsite featuring the latest updates and health resources. And we’re providing Community Mobility Reports that analyse aggregate, anonymised location history and provide local insights on the impact of social distancing.

Alongside our work to promote authoritative sources, we’ve stepped up our efforts to curb misinformation spreading on Google, YouTube or through apps on the Play Store. We have already taken down thousands of YouTube videos featuring dangerous or misleading coronavirus information since early February 2020, and continue to remove videos that promote medically unproven methods to prevent coronavirus in place of seeking medical treatment.

We're building on these efforts in the months ahead to ensure people have access to reliable information. In Australia, we’re supporting the Australian Science Media Centre to connect fact-checkers and reporters to expert individuals and organisations around the COVID-19 crisis. We’re also supporting the Walkley Foundation as it provides crucial training and resources for journalists working remotely, and expanding our global investment in fact checking organisation First Draft to strengthen efforts to combat misinformation.

Supporting education and learning across Australia 
Millions of Australian students are out of school because of restrictions on movement and gatherings. That’s putting pressure on families, schools and the incredible teachers who foster our children’s passion for learning.

To help teachers get the support they need to teach remotely, we’ve made tools like Hangouts Meet and Google Classroom available for free, provided training and tips through both Google and YouTube (and YouTube creators are getting on board too -- check out the latest tips from Eddie Woo), and launched Teach from Home with UNESCO as a central hub for teachers around the world.

We’ve also built a remote work hub on the Grow with Google Australia site to help people work, teach and learn from anywhere, along with a distance learning website that includes training materials and a new YouTube Learning Hub to help schools, teachers, parents and students. And we launched a local #StayHome #WithMe campaign on YouTube to help people feel more connected, entertained and informed during social distancing.

All schools in Australia have access to expedited G Suite for Education domain sign-ups (free) and we are working with education departments around the country to pre-approve school domains to help educators and learners continue their teaching and learning remotely and explore further opportunities for support.

We all know the power of great teachers and inspiring lessons, and we hope these steps will help our kids continue to learn from home, and return energised when school returns.

Contributing to business continuity and economic recovery 
Small businesses are the heart of our economy and communities, from retailers to restaurants, and they've been among the hit hardest by the outbreak.

Google recently announced an $800 million commitment to support small businesses, health organisations and governments with access to finance, ad credits and grants to help meet the costs of the virus (small businesses can find more information here).

At the same time, we will be expanding our programs to train local small businesses in digital skills, provide them with cloud-based tools, and enable their employees to work remotely. We have launched a website to help Aussie businesses navigate through the uncertainty of COVID-19 and are working with business organisations such as the Business Council of Australia, ACCI and COSBOA to share resources that may be of assistance.

We have made the premium version of our video conferencing software Meet free to all of our Australian and global G Suite customers until September 2020, to allow large meetings, livestreams and meeting recordings.

More than 8,000 Australian not-for-profits enrolled in our Google for Nonprofits program also have access to these facilities. And we will be working with governments and NGOs to support relief initiatives and build economic resilience in the community, as well as matching our employees’ individual donations to charitable organisations.

Upholding our responsibility 
COVID-19 puts intense demands on us all, and we’re determined to uphold our responsibility in this unprecedented time: to enable access to trusted information, support remote learning, back small businesses, and more. These initiatives are just the start. We continue working to help Australians deal with COVID-19 and shape a stronger future.

Posted by Mel Silva, Managing Director, Google Australia

Small businesses are the backbone of Australia. They power the economy, keep people in jobs, and support local communities. But right now, these businesses are facing some significant challenges as they respond to the recent devastating bushfires and now disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Today, Google Australia launched a new Google for Small Business (http://g.co/smallbiz-covid19) online hub to provide helpful resources to small and medium businesses as they navigate these challenging times for them, their employees and customers.

The resources are designed to help business owners communicate effectively with their customers and employees, and maintain business operations and continuity planning in response to fast changing external conditions.

It includes step-by-step advice and links so business owners can adjust their existing arrangements as needed - for example, in response to having to temporarily close shopfront operations or moving employees to remote working arrangements.

COVID-19 and the recent bushfires have created unprecedented challenges for Aussie businesses and we’re keen to make sure the best of Google’s business resources are available to help these businesses get through this period.

The new resource builds on steps we’ve already taken including making video conferencing and productivity tools available free of charge for customers working remotely and for educational purposes, and providing online tips to small businesses and all Australians through the existing Grow with Google digital skills training program.

A summary of the tips and resources are below (available at g.co/smallbiz-covid19):

Communicating with your customers 

• If you have moved business operations to online, takeaway or delivery, edit your Business Profile on Google so customers know how to buy from you. 
• If your business or one of your locations has temporarily closed, mark the location as temporarily closed on Google Maps and Search. 
• Use Posts to tell customers on your Business Profile what is happening and if there are changes to how you are operating - for example, if you are now offering online sales or delivery or special offers. 
• If you have a shopfront which is closed but you’re still taking phone calls, update your business phone number to your mobile phone, so you can answer business calls remotely. 
• Set an email auto-reply to share your latest updates with customers - for example, if you are temporarily closed, or taking phone, online or delivery orders. 

Communicating with your employees 

• Put contact information for your employees, vendors, and clients online in a system like Google Contacts so it’s accessible from any location. 
• Make a business continuity plan, and share it with employees via an email address they can access it outside of the office. 
• If you have more than one business location, provide local managers with the authority to take appropriate actions in your business continuity plan based on outbreak conditions at their location. 

Working remotely 

• Help you and your team to effectively work from home with these tools and resources from Grow with Google. 
• Collaborate with your co-workers using online tools and platforms - for example using a shared document, a quick conference call, or by creating an email list or a chat room. 
• Make sure you’re able to access important documents from anywhere by uploading them to the Cloud through tools like Google Drive or downloading to your mobile phone or computer for offline access. 
• If you’re using Chromebooks, ensure they have the right policies in place to access company resources from home and to keep devices and data secure. 

Modifying your advertising (if necessary) 

• Edit your ads as needed to let customers know whether you're open for business and if you offer helpful services like expedited shipping. 
• Pause campaigns if your product availability is impacted by supply chain issues or increased demand.  
• If your business relies on customers from countries most affected by the virus, consider prioritising your ad budget to other locations. 

This is a challenging time for Aussie businesses and our wider community - we’ll continue to explore ways we can work together to provide help and support.

Posted by Richard Flanagan, Head of Small Business Marketing, Google Australia 

Please note: 
For the most timely information and guidance on COVID-19 for businesses, please refer to the relevant Australian Government resources; for economic assistance, to understand workplace obligations and for coronavirus information and support.

At Google Cloud, we’re committed to building the most secure, high performance and intelligent public cloud for regulated industries, businesses and government agencies across Australia.

Since opening our first cloud region in Sydney in July 2017, we’ve continued to invest in secure and sustainable infrastructure to support our growing customers.

From new regions across the globe to cables under the sea, we’re dedicated to building infrastructure that helps our customers connect with more people than ever before.

Regions are the cornerstone of our cloud infrastructure, enabling customers such as Australia Post, Macquarie Bank, Optus and Woolworths to deliver high performing, low latency cloud-based services to their users, no matter where they are around the world.

Today, we take another step forward by announcing that a new Google Cloud Platform (GCP) region is coming to Melbourne. Projected to come online in 2021, the Melbourne region will have three zones to protect against service disruptions, and will launch with our portfolio of key products.

The opening of the new Melbourne region strengthens our long-standing investment in Australia. Our services are designed for millions of users and the new region will bring lower latency to businesses and offer the infrastructure to support disaster recovery and regulatory needs. Our infrastructure is certified for a growing number of compliance standards and controls and has undergone several independent third party audits to test for data safety, privacy and security.

A great example of this is the work we’re doing with financial services institutions in Australia to advance their multi-cloud strategy:

“We aim to shape a world where people and communities thrive and Google Cloud is key to the transformation that enables us to achieve this purpose. Google Cloud’s Melbourne region presents opportunities to further enhance a cloud-based technology environment that incorporates integrated governance controls and service management, as well as consistent security controls,” said Gerard Florian, Group Executive, Technology, ANZ Bank.

“At NAB, we’re in the midst of a company-wide digital transformation to simplify our business and improve the experience customers have with us. Technology is both an enabler and foundation in our transformation and our multi-cloud approach, incorporating Google Cloud services, is a key differentiator for us. Having a GCP region in Melbourne will certainly help our availability, durability and resilience requirements,” said Steve Day, Executive General Manager Infrastructure, Cloud & Workplace at National Australia Bank.

In addition to security, latency and openness, we believe that sustainability is important. At Google, we match 100% of the energy consumed by our global operations with renewable energy and maintain a commitment to carbon neutrality. That includes our data centres and cloud regions. When customers choose Google Cloud to run their compute, store their data and develop their applications, their digital footprint is offset with clean energy, making the services they run in our Cloud net carbon neutral.

Catering to the cloud demand 
The demand for cloud services across Australia continues to grow. Recent research from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) commissioned by Google Cloud revealed that locally the public cloud is gaining significant momentum.

Cloud adoption in Australia is expected to contribute a sizable US$108 billion of GDP and create as many as 26,000 jobs over the next five years. However, these benefits can only be realised with the investment of supporting infrastructure.

Our Google cloud regions in Australia will play an instrumental role in facilitating this growth, and will empower businesses and governments to securely and sustainability digitally transform and create value for years to come.

Posted by Rick Harshman, Managing Director, Google Cloud Asia Pacific Mark Innes, Vice President, Google Cloud in ANZ and APAC Industry Verticals

Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras brings together people from all over Australia and around the world to celebrate - this year was no exception with thousands coming together over the weekend to celebrate “what matters” (this year’s Mardi Gras theme).

We are proud to be a part of these celebrations with support for the Mardi Gras Community Grants Program and our Grow with Google digital skills training for small businesses.



Community Grants 
Through The Mardi Gras Community Grants Program we provided funding to individuals, community groups and not-for-profit groups to deliver their messages loudly and proudly during the Mardi Gras Parade. This is the third year we’ve supported the program.

Recipients include:

• Haka For Life - a non-profit created to provide a platform to communicate and raise awareness of mental health  and suicide prevention through conversation, community, sharing, and the power of the Maori Haka. 
• Jopuka Productions - a Central Coast youth arts company advocating for young artists who identify as LGBTQIA+. 
• NSW Trans Youth Alliance - representing 200 young people who are mostly trans and aged 16 to 20. 
• People with Disability Australia - representing people with disabilities through a strong ongoing connection with Mardi Gras. 
• Aspect Conference Room - representing LGBTQIA+ people with Autism to increase disability awareness. 
• Positive Life NSW - a state-wide peer-based organisation that speaks for and on behalf of all people living with HIV (PLHIV), partners, friends and family affected by HIV to promote the voice and diversity of PLHIV in NSW and break down stigma. 
• Bentstix Hockey Club - Bentstix provides the LGBTQIA+ community an opportunity to learn and play hockey and promote acceptance of diverse sexuality and gender within the broader community. 
• Runway Movement - a collective of LGBTIQ+ people of colour from all parts of Brisbane(Meanjin) aiming to close the gap from indigenous and first nation cultures and how we identify amongst these binaries of gender. 
• The Institute of Many - a grassroots community group bringing together people living with HIV to provide peer support and advocacy and break down HIV stigma. 
• Black Dog Institute - a mental health research institute dedicated to improving the mental health of all Australians, especially vulnerable and at-risk groups like the LGBTQI+ community. 
• Out For Australia - providing visible role models and mentors to support aspiring LGBTIQ students and professionals. 
• Central Coast Pride - volunteer run organisation that supports LGBTQIA+ communities on the Central Coast. 
• Party Passport - representing the Northern Territory's LGBTQIA+ people. 
• Selamat Datang Indonesian Community - representing the Indonesian LGBTI community and providing a networking environment for LGBTI Indonesians in Australia 
• Trikone Australasia - providing social support and a safe, nurturing environment for LGBT+ people of South Asian origin. 
• Trans Pride Australia - a social and support group for trans and gender diverse people and their loved ones in Australia, with a vision for all trans and gender diverse people to live their best possible life. 

Digital Skills training for LGBTIQ+ businesses 
We also hosted a Grow with Google for Mardi Gras 2020 skills training event at the Google office in Sydney in the lead up to Mardi Gras for LGBTQI+ individuals and allies who own or manage a SMB.

Partnering with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association, participants heard how to get started with digital marketing, including our free online skills training platform, and other digital tools to help their business be found online.




Putting Digital Skills training into action 
It was during a visit to the Northern Territory to see the work of the Fred Hollows Foundation that James Hill witnessed the impact the doctor shortages have on remote communities. It inspired him to create a medical recruitment agency, Prescript, focused on addressing inequality in health care access. Prescript helps to tackle the problem by placing permanent and locum doctors in regional hospitals and practices all around the country.

James has used online tools to grow his business. Since attending a Mardi Gras Grow with Google event in 2019, he’s engaged a Google Partner, optimised his Google My Business profile and improved the performance of his Google Ads campaigns. In just 6 months, the campaigns have attracted 700+ new leads and most importantly, placed eligible doctors in regional and rural communities, getting help to people who need it most.


Business owner, James Hill at Lumiere Cafe. 

We are proud to support Mardi Gras and help more individuals and communities get involved.

Posted by Rich Flanagan, Head of Brand, Google Australia

More than 100 entrepreneurs and business owners from the LGBTQIA+ community picked up vital new digital skills at a special workshop hosted at our Sydney office this week.

Google experts shared digital tips, tricks and tools to help attendees better connect with customers and grow their businesses — especially during the busy Mardi Gras season. The session covered topics like how to be found online and have a strong presence, how search works, and how to gain better insights into what their customers want.


We are grateful to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association who we partnered with us for the event — and which coincided with this year’s Sydney Mardi Gras Festival.

Research from Deloitte shows that there is a digital skills gap in Australia — with a divide between future opportunities and the digital skills Australians need to realise these. It found that Aussie small businesses with high digital engagement are 1.5 times more likely to be growing revenue, seven times more likely to be exporting, and eight times more likely to be hiring. Despite this 90 per cent of small businesses aren’t taking the steps needed to realise this potential. The free workshop was designed to help address this gap for the LGBTQIA+ community.


We know that digital tools and skills can open up new opportunities for members and businesses of the LGBTQIA+ community. But many people are unsure what to do or where to begin, so we created these ‘Grow with Google’ workshops to help close this gap.


Since 2014, Google has trained more than half a million people across Australia through online and in-person digital skills training, as well as curriculum integrated through school and partner programs.

Grow with Google aims to provide all Australians with access to digital skills training online and in-person, to help them make the most of the Internet and help close the digital skills divide. It includes an online learning hub accessible from anywhere, on any device, with hundreds of handy training modules.

Posted by Jake Evan, Small Medium Business Marketing Manager, Google Australia