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how to get training after you leave school |
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how to apply for a job |
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how to get an allowance if you’re entitled to it |
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how to do things like enrol or get a Medicare Card |
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how to deal with the problems that can arise when you decide to move out of home. |
Senator Lundy asked Canberra students to design a cover for the Youth Kit, and Cameron Lamont from Copland College was the winner. Cameron, along with teachers and representatives from Copland College, will be presented with a prize for his award winning design at the launch.
For further details, contact Simon Tatz on 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
The Australian Labor Party is bitterly disappointed that the Coalition’s proposed legislation to ban Internet gambling for 12-months does not offer either leadership or workable solutions that address community concerns about gambling on the Internet.
This was an opportunity for the Government to show leadership in tackling the social issues arising from gambling, and help create a regulated industry through State-based laws that have strident mechanisms to protect consumers and address social concerns.
The Coalition’s proposed ban on Internet gambling will not stop problem gambling in Australia or prevent Australians from accessing gambling Web sites off shore. In fact, there are already proposals to host Internet gambling sites in Australia but bar Australians from accessing them.
It will lull the community into a false sense of security by implying that the Internet will be a safe place for everyone, when in fact Internet gambling will still be available. This could result in friends and families being less vigilant about problem gambling which could exacerbate the problem.
Labor is very conscious of community concerns about increased gambling. There is well-known community apprehension about the social dysfunctions arising from problem gambling. However the Coalition’s proposed ban will not prevent problem gamblers from betting. This Bill will simply drive these problem gamblers offshore to unregulated sites.
Labor is also concerned about the possible corruption of sport from online gambling. Recent match-fixing and betting scams have certainly eroded consumer confidence. However, this issue is being addressed by Australia’s sporting bodies who, at a recent Gambling in Sport Roundtable, called on the Federal Government to provide a workable legislative policy for corruption in sport so that the interests of all participants are protected.
Unfortunately, the call for the Coalition to initiate a workable legislative framework has obviously fallen on deaf ears.
The Government isn’t interested in tackling the challenge of online content by working with the various stakeholders to ensure a viable solution - they simply want to window dress an issue, stick their collective heads in the sand, and blame the Internet for their failings.
56/00. . Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
The Australian Senate moved a step closed to cyber-democracy today when guidelines for the use of laptop computers in the Senate Chamber were announced.
Before today’s announcement, computers could only be used in stand-alone mode, however the introduction of computer cables in the Senate now permits senators to access a range of on-line services.
"This means that senators can access e-mail, the Internet, the Intranet and Parlinfo services from the Chamber.
"There are now increasing opportunities for parliamentarians to build closer relationships with constituents through the Internet and e-mail," said Senator Kate Lundy, Shadow Minister assisting on Information Technology.
"Information technologies are helping shape changes in our society and the great leaps in communication are we are in the midst of a period of social reorganisation, therefore closing the digital divide in essential if we are to grab the opportunities information technologies offer for all Australians.
"The Australian Parliament must be at the forefront of these changes, and I welcome today’s announcement as a progressive step in improving democracy through the innovative use of the Internet", Senator Lundy said.
56/00. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
Claims by the Coalition Government that a moratorium on Internet gambling will allay community concerns about gambling is misleading, the Shadow Minister assisting on Information Technology, Senator Kate Lundy said today.
"A moratorium or ban on Internet gambling will simply send on-line gamblers offshore or underground - it will not solve community apprehension about gambling in Australia", Senator Lundy said.
"Evidence presented to Netbets, a Senate inquiry into online gambling and the Productivity Commission report make it clear that a moratorium or ban will not adequately protect Australian citizens from dodgy Web sites that will potentially rip them off.
"What is needed is federal leadership to regulate gambling sites online -not blanket bans that falsely imply that the Internet itself can be effectively controlled.
"The Coalition is using the Internet as a scapegoat for their lack of leadership and failure to genuinely address consumer protection issues and social concerns surrounding online gambling.
"In contrast, the ALP supports a federal role in coordinating strict licensing and regulation of Australian online gambling sites. We recognise the policy challenges of the Internet requires leadership and responsible management of Internet policy - not just rhetoric - to arrive at a practical and workable solution"
"The Coalition's online gambling moratorium is irresponsible and demonstrates that the Government lacks an understanding of the Internet", Senator Lundy said.
55/00. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
Senator Kate Lundy, Labor’s Information Technology spokesperson, was yesterday appointed by Kim Beazley to Labor’s Taskforce on the Knowledge Nation.
The Task Force, chaired by the Hon Barry Jones, is comprised of prominent Australians with expertise and experience in IT&T, education, training, biotechnology, green technology, venture capital financing and manufacturing.
Labor’s Taskforce on the Knowledge Nation will advise on:
| Ensuring that all Australians have the opportunity to participate in, and share the benefits of, the new economy and the Knowledge Nation. |
| Measures to end the digital divide in Australia. |
| Developing an innovation culture in the economy. |
| Identifying impediments to and drivers of the development of e-business. |
| Ways to increase Australia’s R&D effort. |
| Ensuring that Australia’s education and training sectors meet the human capital needs of the Knowledge Nation. |
| Encouraging the greater pursuit of science, engineering and the humanities in Australia, including pure as well as applied research. |
"Although Australia is high on the list of Internet connectivity, the policy challenge is to close the digital divide as a foundation principle of achieving a knowledge nation", Senator Lundy said.
"Information technologies have facilitated massive changes in the economy and the great leaps in communications and commerce are heralding an even greater period of social reorganisation.
"The challenge of the Knowledge Taskforce is to pursue opportunities that include everyone as we move through the information society", Senator Lundy said.
Refer to Senator Lundy’s Web Site for relevant speeches on the Knowledge Nation:
| Closing the Digital Divide |
| Interface and Architecture: Information Management for a Knowledge Society |
| Funding Innovation in the Knowledge Nation |
54/00 Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
The Australian Labor Party has welcomed this week’s announcement by the International Olympic Committee’s medical panel that a test for the banned performance drug EPO will be used at the Sydney Olympic Games, the Shadow Minister for Sport, Senator Kate Lundy, said today.
Subject to approval by IOC lawyers and an IOC executive board meeting later this month, an EPO test will be in place for the September Games. EPO, or erythropoietin, was developed in the early 1980s and is illegally used in sport to increase oxygen-rich red blood cells which experts claim can significantly improve an athletes performance.
Australian scientists have been at the forefront of initiating a foolproof blood test for EPO. The IOC is intending to use both the Australian test and the French urine test.
“National and international sport has been plagued by allegations of drugs in sport, and an EPO test at Sydney 2000 is a major step in making sport free from performance enhancing drugs, Senator Lundy said.
“The Labor Party welcomes the IOC decision as a significant measure to rid sport of illegal and banned substances”, Senator Lundy said.
53/00. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
Bob McMullan, Shadow Minister for Industry and Technology and Senator Kate Lundy, Shadow Minister for Sport, Youth Affairs and assisting on Information Technology
“The ALP Conference has endorsed significant amendments to the platform that articulate a strong vision for the Internet in Labor’s vision for a knowledge nation” Senator Kate Lundy, Shadow Minister assisting on Information Technology said today.
“The platform now expresses Labor’s commitment to closing the digital divide. This divide exists between those who don’t have internet access and those who do. Official statistics demonstrate that despite a steady increase in the overall internet access, there is a growing gap that shows the wealthier you are, the more likely you will be online. Other growing disparities are along geographic lines with people living outside cities experiencing far lower levels of connectivity.”
“Closing the digital divide and achieving universal internet connectivity is an aspiration the ALP will pursue to ensure that all Australians have the opportunity to participate in the information society.” Senator Lundy concluded.
Bob McMullan, Shadow Minister for Industry and Technology in moving the amendments to the Party platform, said’ “Significant opportunities exist for digital content industries, including applications for a web-based environment. These opportunities are enhanced by increasing levels of internet connectivity in Australia.
“Skills, confidence and familiarity with the internet in business and the community will provide a sophisticated domestic market to help drive demand for innovative web content and solutions”, Mr McMullan said.
Platform details can be found at http://www.alp.org.au/nc2000/#date
52/00. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-6277 3334 or 0418 488 295 or David Fredericks 0418667360
Halfway through the second day of the ALP national conference, National President Barry Jones made the call to take the conference ‘paperless’.
“This is a triumph of organisation and technology. Once again the ALP is at the cutting edge of putting computing technology and the internet to work for party democracy”, Senator Lundy, shadow minister assisting on information technology said today.
“The technology deployed by Unisys on the conference floor stood on it’s own as conference delegates became solely reliant on the xtml-based intranet that provided real-time platform amendments as the conference proceeded.”
“In addition to the intranet at the conference, the ALP has once again kept pace with world-wide-web developments with the all conference proceedings being streamed live to the internet.”
The site can be found at http://www.alp.org.au/nc2000/live.html and offers both video/ audio and audio through media player and real player respectively.
“So far, the ALP conference web site is attracting about 100,000 hits per day, a phenomenal rate, matching the peak number of hits received on the day of the launch of the ALP campaign back in the 1998 election,” Senator Lundy said.
“This impressive growth in the interest people have in the ALP platform in the lead up to the next election demonstrates the important role the internet can play in improving the way the ALP communicates with Australian citizens.”
“A significant challenge is to make sure all Australians can get online and use the internet.”
51/00 For more information, Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-6277 3334 or 0418 488 295
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