yet to receive
yet to receive
The Coalition is keen to continue to work with ISOC-AU on important issues of Internet policy and regulation including content regulation, domain name regulation, increasing use and awareness of the Internet, privacy policy and a range of others.
The Coalition welcomes the important contribution that ISOC-AU has played in representing the user voice on many of these issues to date. For example, the Government was delighted to support ISOC-AU in bringing the ICANN Board to Melbourne in March 2001. The involvement of ISOC-AU in the Internet Assistance Program is also valued by the Coalition.
Awareness raising has been a critical element of the Coalition's strategy in getting the “first wave” of Australians online.
Online Australia Year in 1999 was a nationwide series of events and activities designed to introduce Australians to the Internet and encourage participation in the information economy. The Seniors Online program of events, activities and promotions encouraged offline Australian seniors to participate in the online world. Seniors Online Day attracted nearly 200,000 web visitors to the Seniors Online web site.
The Internet Advocate Pilot Program saw a regional community advocate successfully serving as a dedicated community resource, promoting and championing online technologies and information economy strategies.
The Save@Home study recently conducted by the National Office for the Information Economy found that the average household will enjoy time savings of around $95 per week from use of the Internet at home, as well as a direct monetary saving of around $30 per week.
The Coalition's NetSpots directory of Internet access locations, available through a 1800 number as well as the Internet, lists all locations around the country where Australians can access the Internet and related computer facilities.
In addition to the work that NOIE is doing to raise awareness across businesses and the community, the Coalition has committed $3.7 million to the Smart Moves program. Announced as part of the $35 million National Innovation Awareness Strategy, Smart Moves is a travelling program which will raise awareness amongst young people in regional Australia of the importance of IT skills in the information economy.
If re-elected, the Coalition looks forward to continuing the important relationships with organisations such as ISOC-AU to assist and advise on policy development.
The Greens stongly agree with ISOC-AU and its affiliates on these issues. All need to be addressed urgently, not only to support future development of the Internet, but generally as matters of public policy. We feel that the right first step is an inquiry (as mentioned) which will allow voices other than those of entrenched interests to be heard.
The Greens are very supportive of the aim to increase internet access equity, to reduce the "digital divide", and to further Australia's role and standing in the Internet community.