Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy has missed the self-imposed deadline of July to announce the National Broadband Network Company's remaining board members and other details.
Executives who attended last night's state Labor Party fundraiser with the Tasmanian premier and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy could expect "rubber chicken" for dinner, but not to influence future policy, according to a source familiar with the fundraising circuit.
The telecommunications industry is abuzz with speculation that the Tasmanian Government is planning to commence building its part of the National Broadband Network in April 2010 to coincide with the state election, with supplier tender documents to be issued this week.
Global tech giants IBM, NEC and Alcatel-Lucent have denied reports they were planning to pay $5,000 per seat to attend a fundraising dinner this Thursday hosted by Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett and attended by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is shortly expected to announce during a trip to Darwin what areas of regional Australia will be targeted by the backhaul aspect of the government's National Broadband Network plans.
This week, Stephen Conroy showed with great certainty that the NBN remains a touch-and-go affair with no clear timeline, a relatively questionable lack of governance, and lots of unresolved mysteries.
Rural areas will be welcoming the government's decision to put its money where its politicising is, funnelling $250m into a regional fibre upgrade to six rural centres. Remedying over a decade of near-neglect at the hands of telecoms privatisation, the investment could be the firmest step yet for Labor's NBN dream but with inevitable political questions and a looming election, Rudd and Conroy need to deliver, and quickly, to preserve the NBN's credibility.
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.
The government's Australia Connected program, it appears, is no longer an altruistic and long-overdue investment in Australia's infrastructure, but a political football whose primary purpose seems to be to send a massive "nyah-nyah" to the Labor party.
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.
Can a national ID card protect Australians against terrorist attacks? And can citizens' details be protected by Public Key Infrastructure? We look at the types of hardware and software employed to combat terrorism, and how ports and other critical infrastructure are protected.
The Australian Labor Party's ICT shadow minister wants a national fibre broadband network and enough skilled people to exploit it.
What does the recent election result mean to those of us in the IT industry, and Australian employees in general?
Remember the Labor Partys "Knowledge Nation" IT manifesto unveiled in the last federal election? It died a natural death. Will the party's communications and information policies for the October federal election suffer the same fate?
You think spam techniques are driving you mad now... just take a look at what's in store.
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
Having problems with complex data center? Simplify your data center now.
Can the Telco Reform Act be win-win?
Has New Zealand's smiling assassin delivered?
The long-awaited separation of Telstra
What makes you click?
Tell us for a chance to win a $1,000 GAME gift voucher.
Click here for more.
Win an iPhone 3GS!
Sign up as a ZDNet Australia member during November and you'll go in a draw to win an iPhone 3GS!
Click here to sign up!
Best Laptops
Check out the best laptops here!
Click here for more.
