THE cream of the Australian and New Zealand software industry have been honoured by the Consensus Group with the announcement of the finalists and winners of its annual Consensus Software Awards.

Now into its second decade, the Consensus Awards recognise excellence in software design and innovation by the industry in the region.

ACT Senator Kate Lundy presented the awards in Sydney, and noted that it was the products of such companies that would be the true en gine that would drive productivity on the Government’s National Broadband Network.

“The NBN will help our country overcome the tyranny of distance. It is a platform for new innovative services,” Senator Lundy said.

“And that means software – that is the set of tools that will make it (the NBN) breathe and live.”

Consensus named seven winners from the final list of 15 finalists.

The winners were:

• Modelpedia from CeBIT Australia 2009 exhibitor Holocentric
• JADE Investigator from New Zealand’s JADE Software
• AccessPoint from Hyro
• Tickit on Demand from Tickit Systems
• SuperSTAR from Space-Time Research
• WhereScape RED from WhereScape Software
• Retriever Service for Inspections from Retriever Communications

The other finalists included: Acurity administration platform for System i from Financial Synergy; Affinity & Gravity from Hiive Systems; Brookstone VirtualOffice for Service Industries from Brookstone; ClearCost from IT Executive Consulting; GeniusBan Platform from Straight Through Solutions; IRP - Integrated Resource Platform from Best Results; PRONTO-Xi Service Scheduler & Mobile Service from Pronto Software; Web Embrace from We're All About Marketing (WAAM).

Pronto Software is also an exhibitor at CeBIT this year, while Hiive Systems, from Wollongong NSW, is a major partner is organising CeBIT’s Webciety display of the capabilities of the internet.

The Managing Director of CeBIT organiser Hannover Fairs Australia, Ms Jackie Taranto, paid tribute to all the finalists.

“It is fantastic to see Australian and New Zealand companies take the opportunity to make a mark on the world,” she said.

“We need to go out there as Australians and New Zealanders and work together to make an impact on the global market.”

Consensus itself will be mounting a pavilion at this year’s CeBIT Australia show, showcasing the cream of software developers from the region.

12-14 May 2009, www.softwareexpo.com.au