13 December 2002 - Media Release

Vital venture capital legislation finally emerges from Coalition black hole

“After years of procrastination and bungling from the Coalition, legislation aimed at revitalising Australia’s venture capital industry was yesterday passed through the Senate with Labor’s full support,” the Shadow Minister for Information Technology, Senator Kate Lundy, said today.

The legislation will make Australia more attractive for venture capitalists to invest in growing and innovative Australian start-up companies.

“The venture capital industry has been crying out for this legislation for years, and Labor took it to the election in 1998.

“Unfortunately, the Coalition ignored industry advice and introduced a regime that was almost completely ineffective, attracting a comparatively minuscule amount of foreign venture capital investment.

“This legislation was finally announced during the 2001 election campaign, and we were told in February it would be before the Parliament in June.

“Typically, it fell into some kind of black hole, and it actually took until November for this legislation to be introduced.

“In the interest of stimulating investment in Australian innovation, Labor welcomes the passage of this legislation,” Senator Lundy concluded.

Media contact: Simon Tatz ‑ (02) 6277 3334 or Electorate Office ‑ 0418 488 295.

12 December 2002 - Media Release

It may be Christmas time, but Alston wouldn’t know a pair gain from a pear tree

Senator Alston made a complete Christmas goose of himself in Question Time today over pair gains, a line splitting technology Telstra uses which the ACCC found can have unfavourable effects on Internet speeds and ADSL access.

In a lame attempt to attack my campaign on behalf of the thousands of “Victims of Pair Gains” who are suffering from inferior Telstra technology, Senator Alston was forced to admit that the ACCC had indeed found “some problems” with pair gains.

Following the ACCC investigation, Telstra will now have to tell consumers who apply for a second phone line about the possible impact pair gains can have on Internet speeds.

The ACCC findings followed my complaint to them about Telstra splitting an existing telephone line to provide two services, rather than installing a dedicated separate phone line which customers believed they were paying for.

Senator Alston did not say what the Government is doing about Telstra’s poor service, however he did acknowledge that the Estens Report did find problems with pair gains and recommended Telstra devise a strategy to specifically deal with the problems pair gains cause.

What Senator Alston did do was make a complete goose of himself and reveal to the thousands of affected Australians that he doesn’t know a pair gain from a pear tree.

Media contact: Simon Tatz on 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

12 December 2002 - Media Release

Errors in Telstra’s ADSL processes disadvantage customers and competitors

“Errors in Telstra’s ADSL broadband application and billing systems are causing angst for Telstra’s competitors and customers alike,” Senator Kate Lundy, the Shadow Minister for Information Technology said today.

“As a result of errors in Telstra’s system for processing ADSL broadband applications, hundreds of ADSL applications - many from customers of Telstra’s competitors - have apparently been unprocessed since November 28.

“To make matters worse, according to a story on Whirlpool.net.au, Telstra managers reportedly waited almost a week before finally deciding to address this problem on December 3. It is unclear whether this problem has now been fixed.

“Given that Telstra’s competitors rely on Telstra to provide broadband access so that these competitors can provide the service to their own customers, a delay of five or so days is potentially damaging to their business,” Senator Lundy said.

“This is another example of Telstra using its monopoly position to disadvantage competitors that rely on its network.

“Today in Senate Question Time I asked the Minister, Senator Alston, to shed some light on these issues, but he claimed these issues are a matter for Telstra, not the Government,” Senator Lundy said.

“Unfortunately, Telstra isn’t dealing with these issues. Just yesterday, the Australian Communications Authority annual telecommunications performance report showed Telstra’s service levels are still languishing.

“If these are matters for Telstra, then the Government’s claim that their response to the Estens inquiry will improve Telstra’s services to the bush are exposed as weasel words.

“The Coalition can’t have its cake and eat it too,” Senator Lundy said.

Media contact: Simon Tatz - (02) 6277 3334 or Electorate Office - 0418 488 295.

9 December 2002 - Clarification

Telstra’s air pressure deficiencies

On Friday figures quoted in the Senate Inquiry into the Australian Telecommunications Network revealed that across 404 locations in New South Wales, 3,122 compressed air bottles were required to boost inadequate air pressure in Telstra’s leaky cables in the month of September.

In the press release I issued on 6 December 2002, I stated that the Telstra document containing these figures had been made public. This was incorrect. I take this opportunity to correct the record.

Media contact: Simon Tatz - (02) 6277 3334 or Electorate Office - 0418 488 295.

6 December 2002 - Media Release

Telstra under pressure about cable pressure

Efforts to rectify air-pressure deficiencies in cables in Telstra’s New South Wales network cost the company a fortune in the month of September alone, the Senate Inquiry into the Australian telecommunications network heard today.

Positive air pressure in the main cables protects them by preventing water leaching in, and this is essential to maintain the integrity of the telecommunications network.

The Shadow Minister for Information Technology, Senator Kate Lundy, referred to a Telstra document made public by the Committee today which indicated that across 404 locations in New South Wales, 3,122 compressed-air bottles were required to boost inadequate air pressure in Telstra’s leaky cables.

“This is an ongoing cost.  Some bottles need to be changed every day, and that means each month, Telstra is spending a huge amount on human resources to maintain adequate pressure to cables in its telecommunications network.  And this is just in New South Wales,” Senator Lundy said.

Media Contact: Simon Tatz on 02 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

4 December 2002 - Media Release

Labor releases discussion paper on internet spam

Senator Kate Lundy, Shadow minister for Information Technology, today released a discussion paper on internet spam - the most invasive and frustrating form of internet content.

Spam is growing as a widespread community concern. It contributes to the general angst about the internet and constitutes a barrier to some sections of the community going online. Spam is also costly. According to the National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE) the worldwide cost to internet users is around $16.8 billion annually.

Unfortunately for users who have their email clogged with spam, businesses who are losing productivity, and for internet users everywhere who are paying for unsolicited bulk email, the Coalition Government has been happy to prevaricate over this problem.

The Government’s response to spam has been slow and ineffectual. After years of having no position the Minister, Senator Alston, finally announced an inquiry on spam, however a final report is yet to be produced.

As part of Labor’s ongoing policy review, this policy discussion paper canvasses a stronger response to spam, including:

General Objectives

Public Education Objectives

Co-operation with the Internet Industry

International co-operation

Legislative Objectives

I encourage input and feedback on this issue.  The discussion paper will be on my web site, here and available from my office.

I also delivered a speech on Internet Regulation in Australia – an Opposition perspective at the Netalert Conference held at the Canberra Convention Centre
4 December 2002