We are entering the information age, where economies are built on the back of digital infrastructure. This ensures the full spectrum of ICT related policy, from Gov2.0 to growing ICT exports is more important than ever. We need to make sure our capacity to innovate and collaborate with ICT is harnessed to strengthen our exports. [...]
ausfta
Copyright Future – Dinner Address
Copyright Future: Copyright Freedom Conference 27-28 March 2009 Old Parliament House Canberra Dinner Presentation I’d like to begin tonight by illustrating the beauty of open access to intellectual property. I am going to borrow a thought from Lawrence Lessig, who in turn is borrowing from someone else. I thinks it contextualises my comments. Lawrence wrote [...]
Software Freedom Day 2006
SFD Conference University of NSW, Sydney Thank you for having me here today to speak and celebrate international software freedom day! I want to give you an insight into how federal politics and policies impact upon Free and Open Source Software in Australia. There are three main areas of effect: Firstly, the Commonwealth Government as [...]
Open Standards and AUSFTA
Labor moves on Open Standards and Open Source Software for Government IT And Comments on Intellectual Property & the FTA AUUG 2004 Conference Melbourne 1 September 2004 The Labor Party has been vocal and active in promoting Open Source Software for use in the Federal Government Agencies and Departments. I have made many statements supporting [...]
Impact of the FTA
Review of Draft Free Trade Agreement by Senator Kate Lundy Open Source Special Interest Group Sydney 20 May 2004 Australia’s Cultural Identity and Intellectual Property under the proposed FTA or “Sugar, Sheep and Shibboleths” Why Howard’s deal with the US sells out our unique strengths. In the opening pages of Neal Stephenson’s ode to the [...]
Cultural Content and the AUSFTA
Cultural Content and the proposed Australia/US Free Trade Agreement Adjournment Speech SENATE 13 May 2004 (9.20 p.m.) I rise in the chamber this evening to highlight some major concerns relating to the Cultural Sector and the Australia – United States Free Trade Agreement. Labor argued strongly for an exclusion clause for the cultural/audiovisual sector in [...]
Connecting Australia
Connecting Up Conference Keynote address Adelaide 4 May 2004 It’s about people, not technology It makes perfect sense that the current technological revolution is the mere beginning of a far reaching period of social change. Information and Communication Technology represents one of the most critical forms of social, cultural and economic empowerment. How effectively modern, [...]
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 [...]
AUSFTA may be final curtain call for Film Industry
The Howard Government was quick to talk up its commitment to the Australian film and television industry in the House of Representatives today. The reality is that the Howard Government is guilty of having created a crisis in the industry after cutting more than $100 million in funding in just five years between 1996 and [...]
Australian Artists deserve more than poverty
A third of practising Australian Artists are living in poverty, with visual artists and females the most financially disadvantaged, validating Labor’s commitment to introduce a resale royalty scheme for visual artists. A report released this week titled Don’t Give Up Your Day Job surveyed 1063 professionals revealing that 50% of artists earn less than $7,300 [...]
