Blog Yellek

As you may or may not be aware I have been doing quite a bit of work this election campaign on determining the technology policies of the parties and candidates in this federal election. After doing quite a bit of research I have come to a decision on the way that I will be voting tomorrow.

I’ll be voting Labor.

Why? The primary reason is the National Broadband Network. Labor’s plan to build the NBN will deliver a service to Australia that will improve economic growth and reestablish Australia as a global leader in internet connectivity. It will enable the development of new internet applications that will enrich our lives. In the past improvements in internet speeds have seen an explosion of new internet applications that the new speeds have made possible. Can you imagine YouTube on dialup?

In addition the NBN will finally break the stranglehold that Telstra has on telephone exchanges and promote a level playing field for internet retailers. The recent fine levied on Telstra for anti-competitive behaviour in this area just shows how Telstra has abused its power in this area and how much that abuse is ingrained in its culture. Labor’s NBN proposal will finally fix this problem.

The coalition’s plan will leave Telstra in control of exchanges and perpetuate the mess that exists now. It will promote duplication of infrastructure in the major metropolitan areas whilst leaving outer suburban, regional and country areas without decent service and speeds. The coalition’s contention that $43 Billion is too much to pay (the actual figure will be much less due to the deal that the government did with Telstra) will pale into insignificance when the cost of providing duplicate private broadband infrastructures is taken into account. The shortsighted statements by coalition figures that Australians don’t need faster broadband speeds shows just how backward looking they are.

But what of the other issues?

I applaud the coalition’s stance on mandatory internet filtering however I think that Stephen Conroy has received the message loud and clear that what is being proposed is bad policy and I believe that the final filter proposal will be watered down. The litmus test of the policy will be whether or not sites like WikiLeaks are blocked by the filter.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) frankly scares me and I think that not enough attention has been focussed on this treaty yet. If Labor is re-elected I will be doing what I can to try and raise awareness of what this treaty means to our civil liberties.

Electronic health records are also a professional interest of mine and I think the Labor party’s support for them is a good thing although details on how they will be implemented are scarce.

In terms of preferences I will be putting the coalition as number 2 because quite frankly the choice of the paedophile, the racist, the baby killers, the disconnected incompetents and the LDP don’t inspire me.

I’ll probably vote for the coalition in the senate as they oppose the filter and are more likely to oppose ACTA.

It has certainly been an interesting campaign from a technology perspective and I will certainly be glued to the ABC tomorrow night with Twitter open on the laptop to see what happens.

I recently asked the candidates for the South Australian State seat of Morialta some technology questions to find out their views on technology. This was done in the hope of electing a representative for m local electorate who was able to formulate good technology policy. I have received a response from the Greens candidate Scott Andrews which I have reproduced in full below interspersed with some comments.

The Australian Greens (SA) Response

Technology Questionnaire for Blog site

1. What web browser do you use?

Mozilla Firefox.

OK so not Internet Explorer. Someone who is at least aware that there is an option.

2. What is your day to day computer (PC, Apple, Laptop) etc?

PC

3. What social networking sites do you or your staff use (Facebook, Twitter, Others) and where can we find you on those sites?

By Scott:None.

A simple honest respons which nonetheless begs the question why? If you are a candidate in a minor party hoping to oust the sitting member and not having significant resources to do it with why wouldn’t you embrace a medium that is essentially free to get your message out?

4. Do you have a blog and if so what is the address?

No.

Again blogs are easy and free to set up so why not use this as a means to get the message out?
5. In your opinion, what is the role of the internet in the South Australian political process?

The Australian Greens (SA) believe that internet plays a vital role in making the South Australian political process more accessible to the public, and in encouraging community involvement. The internet allows members of the public to view what has been said in Parliament through the publication of the Hansard records, to see how parties and individual politicians have voted on different Bills, and to access copies of every Bill that is debated in Parliament and every Act that is passed by Parliament, all from the Parliament of South Australia website. The internet also allows every party, politician and candidate to have their own website, allowing them to communicate directly with the public, without having to rely on traditional mainstream media.

The Greens believe that with smarter use of the internet and modern technology, which can be seen in the parliamentary websites in other jurisdictions, the South Australian political process can be significantly improved. Measures such as live streaming of question time can make Parliamentary proceedings more accessible, and ideas such as online petitions and online feedback mechanisms would make it easier for individuals and community groups to engage in the political process.

Not a bad response referencing static websites but also showing some awareness of interactivity though not really any specifics. Referencing earlier questions though: if politicians can have their own websites why doesn’t Scott Andrews have one?

6. What role should government play in regulating the internet?

The Greens believe that the role of the Government is to ensure regulation of the internet is transparent, accountable and protects freedom of speech, expression and access to information.

Great response, full marks here.

7. What are your thoughts on how to address objectionable content on the internet? What role should government play in this process?

The Greens do not believe that the Rudd Government’s plan to introduce mandatory internet censorship is the best way to address objectionable content on the internet. There are still numerous problems with the Government’s approach, including technical shortcomings highlighted by a range of experts in the field, issues surrounding the secret contents of the ACMA blacklist, and the potential assault on free speech that the filter represents. Most importantly, we await evidence that the system, as proposed, will do anything to address genuine and valid concerns about children’s access to online pornography.

Also a good response, saying what many know to be true.

8. Do you support an R18+ classification for computer games?

The Greens support the introduction of an R18+ classification for computer games.

Also a good response.

9. What are your thoughts on the funding of computers for schools?

The Greens are in favour of increased Government funding of computers for schools. The Greens strongly oppose corporate sponsorship of schools, including any corporate funding of computers for schools, such as that by guided missile manufacturer Raytheon, which sponsors Aberfoyle Park High School.

In favor of increased funding by government but in favor of reduced corporate funding.

10. Tell us about the policies that your party has that would influence the use of technology if elected.

The Greens believe that the Government should lead by example and embrace open source and open standards, and that documents placed in the public domain by Government should be accessible with free non-proprietary software, and public data should be made available in open, interoperable formats.

This is a great policy. Openness of standards and data makes government more accessible and transparent.

The Greens also believe that public ownership of essential communications infrastructure is in the best interests of a democratic society, and is the best way to ensure that affordable and reliable high speed internet connections are available for all Australians. Furthermore, the Greens will regulate to ensure net neutrality is maintained on the internet.

So, in summary, whilst the Greens overall technology policy is refreshing and progressive there is no indication that Scott Andrews as a candidate has any technical knowledge. The question has to be asked then if he were to be elected in Morialta what impact would he have on technology policy?