Facing the realities of future farming

There are many uncertainties around food production. Ahead of today's Global Access Partners 2013 Annual Growth Summit, Summit Executive Manager Lisa Middlebrook shares her thoughts on what needs to be done to make farming a top priority.

National Cloud Computing Strategy released

Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, released the National Cloud Computing Strategy, today. Lisa Middlebrook from Global Access Partners explains how cloud technology can benefit Australian businesses, charities and homes.

Cloud Computing: the Next Big Thing or Incremental Improvement?

Having recently launched the Global Access Partners' National Standing Committee on Cloud Computing, I invited Dr Robert Atkinson, president of Washington DC based technology policy think tank, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), to speak to an informed audience about the cloud.

I worked with Dr Atkinson for six years at the Democratic Leadership Council and Progressive Policy Institute in Washington DC. Please find below my reflections on his discussion.

Rob outlined the ability for the cloud to give organisations flexibility and agility. He said it lets you focus on your core business and can be less expensive than keeping data in-house.

Market research and analysis company IDC estimates the market for public cloud products and services at $16 billion in 2010, growing to $56 billion by 2014. Gartner more optimistically estimates the cloud market at $150 billion by 2013.

Cloudy with a chance of data loss – addressing the future of cloud computing

With the launch of the cloud computing report last week, and the announcement of Global Access Partners’ national standard committee on cloud computing, Lisa Middlebrook reflects on the importance of exploring the future of this expanding service.

Let’s start with a couple of quotes:

"The overall magnitude of this tragedy and the loss is simply incalculable, and we are distressed by the actions of the parties responsible for this reprehensible act." Distribute IT June 2011

"After these horrific attacks it’s evident that our Government needs to be transformed to meet the new challenges of this dangerous world." George Pataki, New York Governor, September 11, 2001

Leaders gather for Population Summit

It is obvious population growth will have a major impact on development and industrialisation, infrastructure planning, job creation and the wider national economy. What is much less obvious is now we manage and create an Australian population that maintains a vibrant economy, a living, healthy environment and a culture we can be proud of.

Time to turn off the Simpsons

Why do Australians take the worst and leave the best of what the USA has to offer? 

Having a Mum from Sydney and a Dad from Texas, over the course of my life, I’ve lived, studied and worked in both Australia and the USA. It’s an interesting perspective from which to view the way the two cultures regard one another.