Hi all, Firstly just to be upfront, I have recently started as the ICT policy advisor to Senator Kate Lundy. Some of you may know Kate, she has had a deep interest in ICT issues and policy for almost 14 years. My personal background includes almost 10 years of working in the industry, largely around Open Source technologies, and industry and community development.
Anyway, the thread about the budget and it's impact on the local ICT industry was brought to my attention. I meant to join this list months ago, so apologies I didn't see it myself. I brought up some of the concerns raised with the Senator and we are both very interested in identifying blockers and new potential policy directions to help with local ICT industry development, and would like to get perspectives from this group, not just around the budget but generally. Kate went to the US in 1999 and at the time wanted to identify how the US was different to Australia in terms of policy towards ICT industry development, but of course now she is in a better position with more resources to tackle the question :) We recently launched a new initiative for public engagement on government policy and directions called Public Spheres (http:// www.katelundy.com.au/2009/04/29/public-sphere-1-high-bandwidth-for-australia), and the first Public Sphere was around high speed internet access and the opportunties and issues therein. We are planning in collaboration with the Wollonging ICTI Cluster (launching tonight http://www.icti.org.au/events) to run a Public Sphere specifically around local ICT industry growth and development, which would result in a briefing paper that we (Kate and I) can push through appropriate channels in Government, as well as hopefully more informed policy makers and parliamentarians from the process. This Public Sphere isn't announced yet (and we are planning one around "Open Government" also to be announced soon) but we would like to run this Public Sphere workshop in late July or August. It would be good for this list to discuss what Government can actually do to help local ICT industry both to get a clear list of what is needed, and to prepare for the ICT industry development Public Sphere which itself will hopefully flush out more ideas. We would anticipate having a few portfolios represented (likely by advisors and other staff) at the Public Sphere. Please find more information by Senator Lundy on her website at http://www.katelundy.com.au/ and it would be great to get your comments on the budget on her most recent post which discusses ICT in the budget (http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/05/18/whats-in-the-2009- budget-for-ict/). Thanks, and I look forward to speaking more to you all on this and other ICT related topics. Cheers, Pia Waugh Mobile: 0400 966 453 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself: http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/browse_thread/thread/99938a0fbc691eeb To post to this group, send email to silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
