In preparation for its fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) rollout, the Federal Labor government is resuming its campaign to change legislation to allow it to access the AU$2 billion regional and rural Communications Fund, which the government claims is needed to bankroll part of the network's construction.
With legislation obliging telcos to share their network infrastructure details passed by the House of Representatives last night, it has been revealed that the government may compensate carriers for sharing their intellectual property.
Labor leader Kevin Rudd has reinforced the importance of a high-speed national broadband network, describing it as the missing cog in the nation's future economic wheel.
Shadow communications minister Lindsay Tanner has unveiled the Labor Party's plans for the telecommunications industry under a Labor government, singling out Telstra ownership and industry competition as the major issues for its party platform.
The Australian Labor Party has combined the portfolio responsibilities of information technology and communications and passed them to Senator Stephen Conroy, handing the previous information technology spokesperson, Kate Lundy manufacturing and consumer affairs.
The council rubbish truck didn't pick up my bin last week. Instead, the garbage contractor left a big yellow sticker highlighting exactly why my old egg shells, rancid fruit, microwave pizza boxes, an ancient and smelly pair of sneakers, and the odd brick had been left to rot on my property.
Now that Minister Stephen Conroy has played his hand regarding Telstra's separation, the hard part begins.
I should have known better, but I was still a bit suprised to find absolutely zilch for broadband in the latest Howard-Costello Budget.
If someone gave you AU$93.5 million to spend, would you forget it? I wouldn't either. But this is exactly what seems to have happened in the aftermath of the 2007/8 federal budget, which was widely lambasted by many observers -- including yours truly -- for its lack of funding for meaningful ICT related initiatives.
It's hardly news that Telstra's corporate philosophy has become one of incessant whinging and strongarming since CEO Sol Trujillo rolled into town, but over the past week the company took its rhetoric to another level ...
The biggest loser in this week's budget was broadband -- not one cent was allocated to improve infrastructure works. However, security was the winner with funding confirmed to fight intellectual property crime and cyber-terrorist attacks.
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.
The Labor party is calling on IT Minister Daryl Williams to stand down immediately after he announced plans to quit politics at the next election. Should he accede? Who would be an ideal replacement?
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?
NBN Company executive chairman Mike Quigley and six other board members to be named this week have a series of straightforward "buy or build" decisions to make about Australia's fibre future.
Telstra shareholders fear break up
What do Telstra shareholders think of the telco's new CEO David Thodey? And would they support the government'… Watch it now
The Change Program changes its Agenda
What happens when you change the agenda of the ATO's Change Program, or program in some changes to the Agenda?… Watch it now
Microsoft's Tracey Fellows on Windows 7
After the launch of Windows 7 last week, ZDNet.com.au spoke briefly with Microsoft Australia and New Zealand M… Watch it now
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Has New Zealand's smiling assassin delivered?
The long-awaited separation of Telstra
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