Hailing from Sydney, Lundy spent her younger years in a small town by the name of Quirindi off the New England High Way in New South Wales. Her family moved to Canberra in 1975 when her father took up a position with the Attorney General's department. Lundy attended Copeland college, and professes to eclectic interests at school.
-I tended to do well at what I liked, especially art and science," Lundy says. -But there isn't a clear connection between what I was doing at school and what I am doing now." Rather than get on the academic treadmill Kate left school for -all the wrong reasons", and found work as a labourer. However it was this role that set her on a career path that would eventually lead to the hallowed corridors of Parliament House.
In confronting the realities of working Australians Kate became keenly interested in issues surrounding occupational work and safety, and workers rights generally. In an attempt to a secure safer working environment she joined the union, a move which oddly enough also bought her into contact with IT for the first time.
-I was literally the only builders labourer that knew how to type, so I ended up doing all the jobs that needed doing on computers," Lundy says. -Like a lot of people in the industry I am basically self taught, if we needed to get something done I'd learn how to do it."
This irrepressible autodidact attitude to IT also gained industry recognition in 1996, when she received the Australian Computer Society's "Most Computer Literate Politician" Award.
-There just wasn't any recognition of the importance of IT, it was a real struggle to get a computer put into my office when I was first elected," Lundy said. -Eventually I bought one in from home."
However, by the time she was elected to the senate in March 1996, Kate had already cut her teeth as a lobbiest for local industry whilst sitting on the regional economic development council in the early 90's.
-At the time IT had been recognised as an important area for development, and I became familiar with the different players in the industry locally," Lundy said.
In fact Lundy believes workers rights and the strength of locally based business are intrinsically related.
-One of the keys pillars of workers rights is job security, and while I was working as a labourer it became clear that jobs with local industry were fundamental to that stability," Lundy says. -The same is true in IT. The most secure future for Australian workers here in Australia lies in the strength of out local IT companies."
It was with this passion for local industry that has saw Lundy lock horns with the current Liberal government, and specifically her senate counterpart Richard Alston.
-The first thing they did upon coming to power was to freeze all IT procurement," Lundy said. -That was catastrophic for so many IT businesses in the area that had their contracts suddenly suspended."
As the Liberal Government cut a devastating path through the local IT industry with its ideologically driven thrust towards whole of government outsourcing, Lundy became a beacon for Australian companies caught up in the disaster.
-When the policy was first announced we called for inquiry which revealed how costly the whole exercise would be for the IT industry in Australia," Lundy said.
Choosing to ignore the initial inquiry's finding the Liberal government opted instead to use $40 million out of the tax payers purse to pay US-based law firm Shaw Pittman Potts and Trowbridge.
This in turn lead to the implementation of a cluster-based approach to outsourcing which largely prevented Australian companies from participating in the tender process.
What followed was a bitter dispute as local industry struggled to have its voice heard over well-healed corporate lobbists representing multinational interests.
-I am really proud of those within the industry that had the courage to voice their pain in the face of what proved to be a highly vindictive coalition government," Lundy says in a firm voice. -Eventually they were forced to back down when their own inquiry showed how wasteful and destructive the whole project was."
Having proven her skill on the political plain, and her commitment to the development of a strong and vibrant local industry, Lundy is looking forward to the future. A working mum, with the latest addition to her family not yet a year old, she intends to continue to struggle for the rights of local industry and everyday working Australians.
-Australia can be a global leader," Lundy said. -We have been kept in a state of perpetuated mediocrity by leaders that lack vision, but with the right policies in place we are perfectly positioned to ensure a secure a future for all Australians."
Why does ZD-NET seem to have an obsession with the ALP? I have noticed a number of articles now, criticising the Federal Government and promoting Lundy et. al.
I have no problem with objective journalism, but this particular article is just a left-wing puff piece!
Please! Treat your readers with intelligence!