30 October 2003 - Media Release

Minister must fix regional performing arts mess

Arts Minister, Senator Rod Kemp today refused to explain why hundreds of thousands of regional people have had their access to the arts unjustifiably cut under the latest round of Playing Australia grants.

The Howard Government is blatantly discriminating against regional centres, with funded productions reduced from 26 down to 13, with nearly 50 regional centres being negatively affected.

Because of these cuts, dozens of regional performing arts centres across Australia are reeling, as their subscription seasons have been decimated. Many are now faced with financial uncertainty as a result of the Howard Government’s mismanagement and flawed priorities.

Playing Australia grants are supposed to provide the means for quality performing arts productions to tour around Australia. Playing Australia grants cover the costs associated with travel and freight, with priority usually given to rural and regional areas.

Quality productions such as Bell Shakespeare Company’s regional tour of A Midsummer Nights Dream, and La Boite Theatre’s production of Zig Zag Street, which planned to tour over 20 regional centres, have been left unfunded.

I call on the Minister for the Arts, Senator Kemp to fix this problem and restore the regional focus of Playing Australia

Please find attached a list of affected towns and performing arts venues and the Hansard from Senate Question Time.

Media contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

30 October 2003 - Media Release

BITS Incubators start to fall - but where is the new Minister?

Today’s closure of the Item3, a Sydney-based BITS incubator demonstrates the Howard Government’s lack of interest in Australia’s information and communications technology (ICT) industry under the new minister, Daryl Williams.

This closure is a direct result of the Howard Government’s failure to guarantee funding the Building on IT Strengths (BITS) program beyond June 2004.

The Howard Government has known that without its commitment to ongoing funding, Australia’s 11 BITS incubators would start winding up towards the end of this year.

Yet the new minister, obviously still in his hammock in his “honeymoon period”, has left off where the old one finished - choosing to do nothing. The minister has not even released the final BITS Incubator Program Evaluation Report which was expected in September.

Australia’s BITS incubator program is a crucial element in the growth of Australia’s ICT industry. By the Government’s own Key Performance Indicators, the incubators have shown themselves to be a success.

According to an independent report by Econtech, the program has generated over 757 jobs since its inception, and more importantly, “helps address the ongoing market failure in servicing early stage [information and communications technology] companies.”

Both Labor and the ICT sector have been calling for the Howard Government to continue to back the BITS Incubator Program. All the available evidence supports its extension.

The minister must release the latest BITS evaluation report, and make a commitment to the future of this successful program. Otherwise years of effort, knowledge and expertise will have gone to waste.

Media contact: Jason Ives - (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 237 683

29 October 2003 - Media Release

Labor seeks to improve spam legislation

Australians have had to wait over eighteen months for the Government to develop a legislative response to spam. Now that this has happened - after a great deal of pressure from Labor - it has been left to Labor to go through the legislation and iron out all the wrinkles.

Labor was the first political party to recommend anti-spam legislation and is keen to see this legislation passed as soon as possible.

In its Minority Report to the Senate Inquiry into the spam Bills, tabled in Parliament today, Labor has outlined several areas where the legislation can be improved.

Recommendations that Labor has made to improve the legislation include:

Labor is looking forward to proceeding with the debate, moving amendments to reflect our recommendations in the Senate. Labor urges the cross benches and the Government to support our constructive amendments.

Media contact: Jason Ives - (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 237 683

28 October 2003 - Media Release

Telstra still deploying broadband-blocking technology

Telstra has admitted misleading a Senate Committee over its use of line-splitting technology which prevents hundreds of thousands of Australians from accessing a high speed internet service.

In August 7, Telstra gave misleading evidence to a Senate Committee in response to a direct question I asked, claiming that it was no longer deploying inferior line-splitting technology known as “RIMs” that prevents customers from receiving broadband services.

When I asked “why are RIMs still being installed, given they create all of these additional problems?” Telstra’s replied:

“The short answer to your question about the RIMs is that we are actually no longer deploying RIMs. We have stopped that.”

However, Telstra has admitted misleading the Senate Committee, offering a clarification to the Committee, in a recent letter which states:

“When we appeared to give evidence to the Australian Telecommunications Network (ATN) Inquiry in Melbourne on 7 August 2003, we indicated that Telstra was no longer deploying RIM devices in the network … It has now come to our attention that in fact there are still a very small number of RIM devices being deployed in our network.”

RIM systems are responsible for over 900,000 Australian telephone services from being unable to access affordable high-speed internet known as “broadband”.

If there is a RIM between a residence and the telephone exchange then affordable broadband is not an option.

Telstra’s behaviour shows how far the Howard Government is from future-proofing the network.  It will only get worse if Telstra is privatised.

A copy of Telstra’s “clarification” can be obtained from my office.

Media contact: Jason Ives - (02) 6277 3334

24 October 2003 - Media Release

National Museum chases funds to politicise exhibitions

The latest chapter in the politicisation of the National Museum by the Howard Government has unfolded, with an extra $45 million sought to rebuild the under-funded museum according to Howard’s white-washed view of Australian cultural history.

Given the Museum was deliberately starved of funds by the Howard Government, it is offensive that the Museum Board has waited until now to assert the need for more funding.

It is a disgrace that the obvious intent of this request for funding is to allow aspects of the Museum to be re-modelled and rebuilt reflecting the Howard Government's whitewashed view.

The Howard Government's campaign against the historical and cultural integrity of the National Museum of Australia is offensive to the independence of this important cultural institution and to Australian history.

Labor welcomes any additional funding for the National Museum, but remains concerned that the independence, cultural integrity and heritage will be permanently lost.

Background

The Prime Minister commissioned a funding review in 2001 under which three funding options were canvassed. The Howard Government took the minimal funding option of 9.138 million dollars (Option C) - despite warnings in the report that the minimum option would severely jeopardise the museum’s future development as a major cultural institution and lead to rapidly declining visitor numbers and a significant downgrade in exhibitions.

Dawn Casey had her re-appointment unreasonably shortened and supporters of Casey on the council, Sharon Brown and Ronald Webb’s terms have expired and will not be renewed. The political appointments of David Barnett and Christopher Pearson have led the campaign against the Museum's exhibitions.

The National Review of Exhibitions and public programs (Carroll Review) established an agenda for politicisation of the museums exhibitions. The review advocated a whitewashing of Australian cultural history.

The Museum board's draft response to the Carroll Review, asking for restoration of funding to rebuild the museum according to Howard’s view of Australian history states: “The review panel’s ambitions for the Museum are not achievable with available resources and existing constraints. The Museum is funded according to option C of the Funding Review, 2002-2003. Under this option, resources allow for permanent galleries to be changed only to meet loan, conservation and preservation requirements; for one module to be updated every year; and for refurbishment of a gallery every 10 years”

Media contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

24 October 2003 - Media Release

Red alert for new media industry

Trade Minister Mark Vaile made it clear this morning that he is willing to put the future of Australia’s cultural industries in the hands of the United States through the AUSFTA.

The concessions flagged by the Howard Government regarding new media and new types of digital media represent the surrendering of future Australian local content rules.

We know that new media and local content provisions are still on the discussion table and that this can only mean that the Howard Government is prepared to abandon the Australian television and film industry and cultural sector.

This is an outrageous stance by Minister Vaile and proves that the arts and cultural sector are right to be fearful about their future.

Labor has consistently argued that anything short of a complete exclusion clause for cultural goods and services in the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement, consistent with the exclusion clause contained within the Australia-Singapore FTA, is unacceptable.

Media contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

21 October 2003 - Media Release

Regional access to the arts decimated

The Howard Government is responsible for hundreds of thousands of regional people having their access to the arts decimated.

As a result of the latest round of Playing Australia Grants, only 13 funding applications for shows to tour to all areas in Australia were funded, as opposed to 26 in the same round last year.

Venues in regional areas will be unable to afford touring arts productions, preventing the shows from being seen in regional communities.

The decimation of funding for touring productions to these areas means that regional centres such as Albury, Mackay, Bathurst, Ballarat, Mildura, Hamilton, Launceston, Bendigo, Frankston, Bunbury, Alice Springs, Maroondah, Geelong, Rockhampton, and Cairns will all lose performances.

The effect will be devastating for these centres, for example in Mildura, not one production has been funded, Ballarat has only been funded for 1 out of 7 productions, in Geelong, 3 shows from 9, and in Launceston funding for only one and a half shows has been provided.

Regional performing arts centres across the country have worked tirelessly to develop their audiences and have successfully created a demand for more shows. Despite this, Playing Australia funding has not been increased since 1997.

This flies in the face of a recommendation by Regional Arts Australia for Playing Australia funding to “be doubled or at least significantly increased to ensure that regional communities in particular can continue to see more and better product on a regular basis.”

Playing Australia is meant to give priority to regional areas, so all Australians have access to the arts. Instead the Howard Government has dealt another blow, further discriminating against regional communities and showing once again that rural and regional communities cannot rely on the newly named Nationals to represent their best interests.

Media contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

20 October 2003 - Media Release

Howard Government can’t remain silent on cover-up of “a serious breach of IT security”

Crawling through rubbish tips looking for confidential Government files is not a national security strategy, it is a national disgrace.

But that apparently was the situation when information from the Prime Minister’s own department was ‘disposed of as rubbish’.

The Howard Government has a lot to answer for, and is yet to provide an explanation.

This “rubbish” included all their computer files in March 2003.

The computer file copies (back-up files) have never been recovered and the Howard Government has tried to cover up this incident.

National security issues dominated the Howard Government’s agenda at that time.

March was a crucial month with respect to Australia’s involvement in the war against terror. The Prime Minister was intent on committing Australia to war in Iraq.

Imagine, in the middle of all this, the police and government officials crawling over a rubbish heap looking for sensitive national security information: files thrown out in a wheelie bin through the “negligence” of their IT contractor, Telstra Enterprise Services.

The Howard Government must come clean about the risk to national security this serious security breach caused and if Australia’s vulnerability increased as a result.

These facts only came to light because of a Parliamentary Committee inquiry into the Management and Integrity of Electronic Information in the Commonwealth.

We know that at least four departments were victims of the same breach: PM&C, DISR, DoTARS and DoCITA. Telstra is the responsible contractor and has not been sanctioned or penalised.

Telstra’s contract should be terminated with the Commonwealth today.

 Media contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

17 October 2003 - Media Release

More Howard Government Security Lapses

The Howard Government’s inadequate approach to security was again exposed today when a Parliamentary inquiry heard that it has consistently failed to prevent the disappearance and theft of Commonwealth Government computers.

While the Howard Government pretends it is tough on security, it has been negligent on the home front, failing to cover off the most basic level of IT security.

Today’s hearing of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts and Audit exposed three new security debacles:

It is a disgrace that the Howard Government has failed both to institute effective procedures across all departments to reduce the number of Government information systems going missing, and to include adequate reporting systems.

Media contact: Jason Ives - (02) 6277 3334 or 0411 237 683

15 October 2003 - Media Release

Sport Minister can’t read, can’t count

Labor has committed $25 million dollars of NEW money to their key health initiative Tackling Obesity and Promoting Community Wellbeing: Labor’s Plan for a Healthier and More Active Australia.

This is clearly stated in our policy paper. However, actually reading Labor’s comprehensive yet concise policy document proved too much for the Minister for Sport.

Contrary to the Sport’s Minister misleading comments, $15 million of this money will go to the Community Wellbeing Fund, which will specifically promote greater participation at the community level.

$10 million will go directly to strategies to reduce childhood obesity.

This $25 million commitment represents the first concerted federal effort to improve the health and wellbeing of all Australians.

Unfortunately, the Howard Government is yet to realise that paying lip service alone won’t deliver better health outcomes.

Media contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

13 October 2003 - Media Release

Labor commits $25 million to tackle obesity

A Crean Labor Government will invest $25 million over four years to establish a new fund to promote community wellbeing and reduce childhood obesity.

Today’s policy release - Tackling Obesity and Promoting Community Wellbeing: Labor’s Plan for a Healthier and More Active Australia - is the first concerted federal effort to improve the general health and wellbeing of all Australians.

Australia urgently needs a coordinated community strategy to reverse the trend in rising obesity rates. Low physical activity levels and poor diet are the two primary factors that are consistently identified as main contributors to high overweight and obesity rates in Australian children.

Promoting healthy lifestyles

Labor’s goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle message to all Australians, especially children. We need more community opportunities for people to participate in physical activities that improve health and wellbeing.

The Howard Government, through funding cuts, has made it harder for Australians to take part in programs that will improve their fitness and keep them healthy.

Labor is committed to helping Australians overcome the barriers which prevent them from leading more active lives to enable them to improve their health and wellbeing.

We will work closely with the states and territories, local communities, parents, the media and schools to achieve these goals.

Tackling rising obesity in Australia

This initiative will address a major area of concern: the rising incidence of obesity in Australia. Obesity is a chronic illness that is affecting a growing number of Australians. It is a health risk that must be addressed.

By increasing the opportunity for Australians to take part in physical activity and providing better access to accurate nutrition information, particularly for children, we can deliver better health outcomes.

Labor's commitment

Labor’s approach has two main elements: establishing a new fund to promote community wellbeing and implementing a National Strategy to Reduce Childhood Obesity.

The $15 million Community Wellbeing Fund will enable community groups to employ a wellbeing facilitator to organise and implement physical activities and events in their local area.

By assisting Australians to get involved in sport and leisure activities at the community level and by improving dietary habits through broad scale education and health promotion, the Community Wellbeing Fund will complement work already being undertaken by state and territory governments.

Labor will also provide $10 million for a National Strategy to Reduce Childhood Obesity. As part of this strategy, Labor will:

Labor believes these initiatives will provide opportunities, education and support for all Australians that will enable them to take a more active role in improving their health and wellbeing.

Labor’s policy Tackling Obesity and Promoting Community Wellbeing: Labor’s Plan for a Healthier and More Active Australia will available at www.alp.org.au  or from Senator Lundy’s office.

Media contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

8 October 2003 - Media Release

Labor will protect consumers and improve anti-spam legislation

After eighteen months, the Howard Government’s anti-spam legislation still needs improvement.

Labor is pleased the Government is finally taking this issue seriously. We need laws to prevent the large numbers of unwanted and sometimes offensive emails clogging up Australian in-boxes, costing consumers and businesses money.

Improvements that Labor will be seeking to the two Bills include:

Labor also has concerns about the “search and seizure provisions” that will be given to Australian Communications Authority under the Spam (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2003. In some situations, the Bill could allow ACA inspectors to enter and search premises - including private computer systems - without obtaining a warrant. We have to make sure people’s civil liberties are protected.

Labor is currently seeking discussions with the new Minister for Information Technology, Mr Daryl Williams MP, to clarify these issues.

Labor will also seek to refer the Bills to a Senate Committee for inquiry to examine these concerns, and will consider amendments to the legislation following this inquiry.

In addition, this legislation must be followed up with international action and public education. We must also have cooperation from the internet industry to ensure that spam is addressed as effectively as possible.

Labor will work constructively to ensure the final legislation is implemented as soon as possible and that it gives Australians the best protection possible from unwanted spam emails.

Media contact: Adina Cirson - (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295

6 October 2003 - Media Release

Alston’s final gift: more lip service

After seven years, Richard Alston has used his last day as Minister for the Arts to once again pay lip service to the Howard Government’s plans to introduce new legislation for a Resale Royalty scheme; a commitment Labor has already made to the visual arts sector.

The Australian Arts community and Indigenous Arts groups have been calling on Senator Alston to implement a Resale Royalty scheme for Artists since he became the Arts Minister in 1996.

Labor committed to introducing a Private Members Bill designed to implement a Resale Royalty Scheme for Artists, last month. The difference between the two proposals is that Labor’s commitment is real.

Labor’s commitment to a Resale Royalties scheme will include a direct economic benefit to artists, particularly indigenous artists, if their work is later resold for a higher value - a key recommendation of the government-commissioned Myer Report, published in June 2002.

How many more announcements of arts sector initiatives must the Howard Government make before it actually does anything?

For proof of how long this government is prepared to wait you need look no further than Senator Alston’s announcement last Friday of an art labelling system to denote authenticity for indigenous art. This proposal was first announced in 1999!

Unfortunately it does not look like the arts sector will be any better off under the new Arts Minister, Daryl Williams. His reputation for being very slow to respond to issues precedes him and Resale Royalties is more than likely to end up on the backburner once again.

By leaving this announcement until his last day as Arts Minister, it is clear that this vital issue has been at the bottom of Alston’s policy priorities. We won’t be holding our breath for this scheme to be implemented. That’s why Labor is preparing a Private Members Bill for Resale Royalties.

Adina Cirson (Lundy) 0418 488 295 or Jane Magnus (McMullan) 0438 271749

3 October 2003 - Media Release

Emerging Indigenous artists must be protected

Labor welcomes the announcement of long awaited support for indigenous art centres, providing that the proposed performance based funding scheme does not negatively impact upon emerging indigenous artists and their communities.

It is also disappointing that the Howard Government has not endorsed a key Myer Report recommendation: the introduction of Resale Royalties for Artists.

A Resale Royalty scheme would guarantee that Indigenous communities benefit as their art becomes more valuable. This is the big missing item in the Indigenous Arts Centre strategy.

The success of arts centres and the flourishing of Indigenous art is culturally and economically important for many Indigenous communities.

In order to protect and grow indigenous art in Australia the proposed strategy will require detailed monitoring, particularly in its implementation. The following concerns must be addressed:

While the support for indigenous art centres is welcomed, it is modest and belated, and fails to include a key recommendation of the Myer Report; the introduction of Resale Royalties for Artists which Labor has already committed to.

Contact: Adina Cirson (Lundy) 0418 488 295 or Jane Magnus (McMullan) 0438 271749

2 October 2003 - Media Release

Future-proofing a scam: Telstra Inquiry

The Senate inquiry into the Telstra sale bill has exposed the Howard Government's claim that the network be “future-proofed” as a complete scam.

Telstra is still installing cheap 'line splitting' equipment in rural and regional Australia despite it halving dial-up internet connection speeds and blocking ADSL (broadband) services.

In short, this means that rural and regional Australians will be forever burdened with sluggish internet access and will never have any chance of getting affordable broadband.

These facts emerged in evidence provided by CEPU representatives of Telstra's technical staff.

Telstra have previously denied this equipment was still being installed, telling a Senate Committee in August:

“The short answer to your question about the [line-splitting equipment] is that we are actually no longer deploying [it]. We have stopped that. We do not buy them anymore. They are not manufactured anymore.”

This outrageous arrogance by Telstra also defies Estens recommendations which said that Telstra had to come up with a plan to fix the problem presented by the extensive use of line splitting (pair gain) equipment: a problem that affects over 1.2 million Telstra customers.

The Howard Government claimed to have accepted these recommendations - what a scam! Telstra continues to play by their own rules with the Howard Government guilty of a shameless “futureproof” con of rural and regional Australians.

The only thing that is future proof and guaranteed about the Howard Government and Telstra is they will continue to lie and trick Australians into thinking selling Telstra is a good idea!

Media contact: Adina Cirson ‑ (02) 6277 3334 or 0418 488 295