The state of Victoria in Australia has signed onto the Whole-of-Government Agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), increasing its access to AWS' cloud, AI, security, and quantum computing solutions.

The agreement signed by the Victorian government with AWS will enable government agencies to access more than 240 cloud services, 164 of which are "PROTECTED" level-rated.

AWS has two cloud regions in Australia, one in Sydney and a second located in Melbourne, which launched in 2023. An AWS Local Zone was launched that same year in Perth.

The Victorian government will be able to make use of multiple regions to improve the resilience of applications.

Systems in Victoria, such as VicTraffic, already use AWS to deliver information to locals, such as road disruption information, collecting data from 50 sources and using a multi-region approach to manage data without interruption. This is ramped up during flood and bushfire risk periods. Additionally, the Coroners Court of Victoria uses AWS to bring AI into its operations.

"Working with AWS has been exceptional,” said Judge Cain, state coroner of Victoria.

“They demonstrated genuine understanding of our unique challenges in balancing technological innovation with judicial responsibility. Their team's expertise in developing a bespoke and secure AI solution will enable us to create efficiencies and pioneer trauma-reduction technology that could transform how courts protect their workforce whilst delivering justice for Victorian families."

Louise Stigwood, managing director for Public Sector, AWS Australia and New Zealand, said of the partnership: "This agreement represents a milestone in Victoria's digital journey. By leveraging AWS's advanced cloud capabilities, the state can accelerate the delivery of innovative, secure, and cost-effective services that benefit all Victorians."

AWS announced it was planning to invest AU$20 billion (US$13bn) by 2029 in expanding data center infrastructure in Australia in June of this year. To support this build-out, Amazon is further investing in three new solar farms in Victoria and Queensland, with a combined capacity of more than 170MW.

With the eight existing solar and wind projects across New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria, the 11 renewable energy projects are estimated to generate more than 1.4 million MWh of carbon-free energy annually.

"AWS's significant investment in Victoria demonstrates strong confidence in our state's digital future - it will create jobs, drive innovation, and strengthen Victoria's position as a leading technology hub,” said Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs Danny Pearson.

In July 2024, AWS revealed it was building a data center for Australia's government that will handle top-secret information. The data center and cloud system will be developed as a partnership between AWS and the Australian government, and the latter will invest A$2 billion (US$1.3 billion) in the new system over the next ten years.