FIFA’s recent decision to withdraw Oceania’s direct entry to the 2006 World Cup finals is a terrible blow for Australian players and fans but the impetus is now upon Soccer Australia to embrace reform and implement the recommendations of the Crawford Report. FIFA is inherently a political body, and Australian soccer must be in good [...]
Monthly Archives: June 2003
Broadband Competition Inquiry gets Senate tick
Labor and the minor parties have been successful in initiating a Senate Inquiry into broadband competition, despite continued opposition from the Howard Government which sought to sweep these issues under the carpet. The Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee Inquiry has been referred the following matters for inquiry by the Senate: [...]
Gungahlin telephony moves from backwater to average
While Telstra’s announcement of a new Telecommunication Exchange to be built at the Gungahlin Town Centre is welcomed, it should not be forgotten that this means Gungahlin residents are only moving from a broadband backwater to being able to access services that are available in most other metropolitan areas in Australia. This is a step [...]
More dollars won’t fix broadband
The paltry dollars offered by the Howard Government to fix Australia’s broadband woes completely miss the point. Since coming to office the Howard Government has demonstrated that throwing money at fixing high speed internet services has just entrenched Telstra’s position as the near monopoly broadband provider. It continues to use line splitting and to under-invest [...]
The case for ICT industry development: Australia’s “stagnating” adoption of ICT
Australia risks losing much of our ICT competitive advantage – and therefore high skill, high wage jobs – according to today’s Australian Industry Group Report on the competitiveness of Australia’s economy. While acknowledging that Australia has reaped the benefits of economic growth by investing in ICT, the AiG Report warns that this may not last, [...]
2003 Bushfire Memorial
This is a copy of the Public statement made by the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories following the Committee receiving a complaint from a resident of the area. Wednesday 23rd June Committee supports Duffy memorial for bushfire victims Federal Parliament’s National Capital Committee supports preserving the large open space in [...]
Labor initiates broadband Inquiry
Labor has proposed a senate inquiry into the state of broadband competition in Australia. Labor is supported by the Democrats in calling for the Senate Environment, Communications Information Technology and the Arts References Committee to inquire into the following issues: the current and prospective levels of competition in broadband services, including interconnection and pricing in [...]
Broadband growth rate mirrors Minister’s broadband interest – flat
Broadband uptake in Australia continues to decline under the Howard Government – just like the Minister’s attitude. Latest ACCC figures demonstrate that broadband uptake in Australia is in a trough. Since the April-June quarter in 2002, the rate of broadband uptake has declined from 29.2% to 16.4%. Broadband uptake in Australia remains a victim of [...]
Minister Tuckey out of line in Tent Embassy Fiasco
Minister Tuckey’s decision to remove the fence around the Aboriginal Tent Embassy site again demonstrates his blatant disregard of the Aboriginal people and Australian history. The Minister is determined to bring down the Aboriginal embassy, despite the burnt shed being heritage listed. It is obvious he will not be taking advice from the National Heritage [...]
Interactive Gambling
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF ALP SENATORS Labor Senators believe that the most effective way to manage interactive and Internet gambling is to have State and Territory cooperation in formulating a national regulatory regime. Labor supports Federal co-ordination of consistent State-based regulatory regimes. The appropriate forum is the Ministerial Council comprising relevant State and [...]
