Internet access and infrastructure have rarely been -- how shall I put it? -- the sexiest of subjects. Yet in this election, it seems politicians are finally realising the power of technology both as a vote winner and a means of communicating with the increasingly tech-savvy electorate. Oh dear ...
Liberal communications spokesperson Bruce Billson has accused the Rudd government of having an inconsistent stance on its dealings with Telstra and its activation of the ADSL2+ network -- but one analyst claims it could all just be semantics.
If there was ever evidence that the stoush over broadband had gotten personal, it came when Telstra's sour-grapes mentality led it to sue Helen Coonan, personally, for claimed procedural flaws in the OPEL contract.
For no particular reason that I can discern, a 1979 Kenny Rogers song popped into my head as I was considering the ever more complex morass that is the national broadband network tender which Senator Stephen Conroy defended in his CeBIT keynote speech.
If there ever were concrete evidence that Labor is blowing smoke up the proverbials of the Australian population, it came earlier this month as Senator Stephen Conroy, the man charged with promoting Labor's fibre-everywhere policy while simultaneously taking potshots at his counterpart Senator Helen Coonan, put his foot squarely in his mouth.
An analysis by representatives of Australia's two largest IT industry groups shows that neither political party in the federal election has come up with a comprehensive policy around technology.
Ahead of the election, with promises for nationwide broadband networks and digital revolutions in schools, the ICT industry could hope the government was on their side. But now the glamour of a sparkling new government has worn off, how ICT-friendly is the Rudd government really?
With only weeks to go to the election, how are the main parties shaping up on their tech promises?
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The votes are in: check out the Top 10 desktops for this month.
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Bootstrappr
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