Bruce Billson, the Liberal communications spokesperson, has taken aim at Labor's plans to draw on money from the previous government's communications fund to build its fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) network.
Open source might get a better look-in within government, says Senator Kate Lundy, if those responsible for purchasing decisions were forced by policy to evaluate all the options on the market.
Labor party leader Kevin Rudd has today promised a AU$1 billion fund to give every senior secondary school student in years 9 to 12 access to a computer at school.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) is currently undertaking an audit into the state of IT in Australian secondary schools, with comments made by Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday confirming that the "digital divide" is a real phenomena.
With its first 100 days behind it, Labor has given the IT industry a lot to think about: standing by election promises, centralising Federal government procurement, and instigating funding cuts.
One of the real dangers of election season -- for politicians, at least -- is being held to their word.
As Rudd and Conroy railroad the NBN into reality, the Liberals are trying to inject some due process into the whole thing by holding Labor accountable for its decisions. However, with the future of Australian telecoms on the line and no real viable alternative, is it just a bit late for accountability?
As expected, Senator Stephen Conroy -- who made a career out of picking holes in the actions of his predecessor Helen Coonan -- was named to Kevin Rudd's front bench, bearing the interesting new title of Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (BCDE).
This week the Australian online banking system was tested by an agent of KAOS Kevin Rudd and his $10 billion dollar fiscal package that, as Agent 86 would say, "missed it by that much" on knocking out the banking system.
Finally, after months of the Clintons posting Sopranos-style satires and Obama Girl grabbing the headlines during the American presidential race, Australian politicians have switched on to the power of the Internet.
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?
Many would love to see the Pirate Party and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy face off in the Australian Senate, but the unorthodox political party doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning the necessary votes.
Opinion: Conroy should end this futile tender process. Call Telstra's McGauchie and his executives in and read them the riot act. Appoint someone with appropriate credentials and resources not some panel to then negotiate a commercial deal on behalf of taxpayers.
With only weeks to go to the election, how are the main parties shaping up on their tech promises?
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