The Liberals are promoting an advisory centre to help SMEs and consumers choose the right computer and communications products and services. "The Liberals will back the initiative with guarantees that no system recommended for use by a school age child in Victoria will be obsolete inside of three years after the date of purchase," said Victor Perton, Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs and Shadow Minister for Innovation and Technology.
"Parents want assurances that the expensive computer that they buy today will not be obsolete tomorrow and is suited to the learning needs of their child," he said.
The Centre for Comparative Consumer Advice will receive AU$1.5 million in state funding over three years to provide SMEs and individuals with objective, comparative advice for IT and communications purchases. It will operate in collaboration with academia, community stakeholders, retailers, manufacturers, software and solutions developers, and telecommunications companies.
Industry involvement may help with the everyday work but leaves the Centre's objectivity open to question. The policy states that Government funding may be "offset by potential commercialisation."
The Centre will also help develop -- "in appropriate partnership" -- a Green IT rating system, and will serve "as an evaluator and test bed for Victorian developed companies, solutions and products," the policy document said. This would be in line with the party's previously announced 'Victoria First' IT purchasing policy.
The ALP's ICT policy focuses on broadband, with an additional $15 million over three years to accelerate the rollout to government schools, hospitals and other facilities in rural areas where broadband may not otherwise have been offered.
Telecommunications companies receiving funding under this scheme will be required to make the services available to business and other users in the areas served. Rural and regional areas may also benefit from an AU$5 million increase in funding for the customer access network trials in regional centres, which will expand the trials to ten centres.
Consumers and SMEs interested in broadband will be able to use a new Broadband Access Office within Multimedia Victoria as a one-stop source for information about broadband. The Office, which aims to increase the take-up and use of broadband, will also support groups addressing common broadband problems.
Labor will also promote e-business through a marketing and business skills program particularly aimed at small businesses in their dual roles as consumers and suppliers, and will "set in place the legislative framework to ensure all Victorians can have confidence in the security of their online transactions".
Could someone tell me how all this money is going to help anyone, when T(H)elstra, Optus and all other Telco are not prepared to lay cable or fibre anywhere, let alone in the rural or country areas. Most of Melbourne & I suspect other cities, are still dependant on copper wire. The rural & country areas are no better off!! T(H)elstra only provides Broadband services to rural & country areas when its arm is twisted up its back & there is a danger the Minister of ludite services may be embarrassed in the house. There is Satellite, of course, but who can afford it? but then....
The Internet is only good for "porn & games", so he says!!
"Yes Minister" is alive & well in our parliaments. Why should we expect better, when ministers don't even know how to use a PC for email!!!
We are being conned!!!!
It is the 21st century & we are still using early 20th century technology to deploy most of our communications technology.