The questions were many and varied, although a general trend emerged with readers wanting to find out about: broadband access, the sale of Telstra, IT education, broadband access, R&D tax concessions, Internet censorship and security, broadband access, Government procurement and outsourcing, employees rights, and high speed Internet access.
After reviewing the readers' responses, we came up with a series of questions covering all the areas asked about.
The following questions were sent out to the offices of the Liberals' Richard Alston, the Greens' Kerry Nettle, One Nation's Pauline Hanson, the Democrats' Brian Greig and Labor's Carmen Lawrence, and as their aids scrambled for their PCs, the debate began.
- Would you support further privatisation of Telstra? How will you promote the rollout and uptake of broadband services in Australia?
- What steps will you take to improve telecommunications access in rural and regional Australia? Since people in low-income urban areas have been identified by recent studies as those most at risk of becoming a technologically illiterate underclass, what steps will you take to improve their access to technology?
- What will you do to support and promote the uptake of distance education? How will you encourage the everyday use of IT in primary and secondary education?
- Do you support the Australian Broadcasting Authority's regulation of Internet content? Is the cost of the scheme justified given its effect thus far?
- What steps will you take to combat the so-called IT "brain drain", and what will your party do to encourage young educated Australians to remain in the country?
- Do you believe employees' rights are upheld by recently-enacted privacy legislation? Will you support a limitation on electronic surveillance in the workplace?
- What will you do to curb the blow out in Australia's ITC trade deficit, which has grown to $17.73 billion--triple what it was in 1990-91?
- Will you use government procurement to bolster Australian IT companies?
- How do you propose to stimulate ITC R&D in Australia? How will you encourage the availability of post-secondary IT training and education?
- How will you approach datacasting legislation given the Government's failed spectrum auction in May 2001?
Amidst a wide variety of responses came the following promised initiatives; broadband through Australia Post outlets, 200 percent R&D tax rebates, more funding for IT education, and locally-focussed government procurement.
Far and away the most comprehensive responses came from the Australian Liberal party - which pushed the online reading attention span word limit to the max with some of their answers. However, this is to be expected given the resources sitting government members have to throw at such events.
One Nation takes the guernsey for creativity, the Democrats for consistency and the Greens for demonstrating they can talk about more than old growth forests.
While late to respond to our questions the Labor Party has also provided insight into its approach to IT, focussing on local procurement and education.
As for a winner, that is to be decided on November 10 by the -men and women of Australia", and in the meantime the responses are sure to cause a lively talkback, so don't forget to have your say.
Greens policies underrated.
I think the Greens' policies are very fair, and provide good solutions to providing fair telephone and internet access to all Australians.
Their policies also address the errors made by Richard Alston on censorship and digital broadcasting.
I was disappointed that the Greens weren't listed in your poll.
The Greens have full policy information at
<URL:http://www.greens.org.au/>.