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UncategorisedThe YouTube election that wasn’t
jim.macnamara | May 29, 2008Claims that the recent Australian Federal election was the "YouTube election" or an ‘e-election’ are greatly exaggerated.
There was a lot of hype about how Web 2.0 technologies allegedly influenced the last Federal Election. However, research shows that much of the claimed impact of YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, blogs and other ‘new’ media remains questionable at this stage.
From July through to November as the election campaign rolled out traditional print and television media were awash with claims that wikis, blogs, vlogs as well as websites like Facebook, and YouTube were changing the way we deal with our politicians, and the way they deal with us.
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Identity Management in New Zealand, CeBIT Australia and the Merry Month of May …
Malcolm Crompton | May 28, 2008In the world of information governance and a fair go for the individual in dealings with business and government, how has it felt this month?
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UncategorisedThe shifting expectations of corporate etiquette
editor | May 28, 2008
By Mary Ann MaxwellThe expectation that all calls received will be responded to within 24 hours fails to take into account the way business is conducted today.
Ever get that strange feeling that something's different? We all look the same, more or less, we're all out to achieve the same sorts of goals, but there's something very different about the way we're talking to each other, and it's causing more than a bit of intergenerational confusion in the office.
Those of us who have been in business for the last few decades should be forgiven for feeling a little out of sorts with more recent entrants into the business community. See, we came into the corporate world at a time where hierarchies were strictly observed, and controlled by the simple fact that there were relatively few forms of communication we could use to break down those walls.
Things have changed, some for better, and some, well, for not so better, but the only way we're going to be at peace in this emergent business world is to recalibrate the rules, and update our expectations when it comes to communication.
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UncategorisedPolitics & Technology (& blogging) conference coming up in Canberra
editor | May 28, 2008
Andrew Bartlett questions the value of the internet in increasing participation in the democratic process.
On June 25, during my final sitting week in Parliament, I'll be speaking at a Politics & Technology conference organised by Microsoft. The keynote speaker will be US political writer, Matt Bai. I guess it will sort of mark the point I make a shift from a blogging politician to a person blogging about politics.
The roles of blogs in political campaigning seems to vary a lot from country to country. There is nothing remotely comparable in Australia or the UK to the way blogs have developed in the USA. This piece by Matt Bai from 2006 details the first major convention of liberal (i.e. left leaning) bloggers in the USA, attended not just by 1000 or so bloggers, (including a few with a daily readership on a par with all but the largest newspapers), but also by major political heavyweights like Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean. Even though this might at first seem like a huge shift in political influence, Bai puts in it context…
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UncategorisedBringing government to the people through the web
Hon. Lindsay Tanner | May 23, 2008How do we adapt the static and process driven world of the bureaucracy to the more dynamic and innovative world of the collaborative web?
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UncategorisedResponding to the skills shortage
Glenn Withers | May 22, 2008
No matter how you look at it, our future will be built on a skilled workforce.
At a time when employers are finding it increasingly difficult to source the skills they need to get the economy moving, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to invest in the dramatic upskilling of our workforce to defend ourselves against, and benefit from, the emerging economic giants to our north.
We have the advantage of being first movers, we already have the tertiary eduction structures in place, but our neighbours are investing massively in improving their education market, and we should be looking at moving further up the value chain to retain competitive advantage.
What is very important is that the prosperity we are enjoying now was built on the educational achievements of our predecessors. For the economy to prosper we need to ensure that those who are going into the workforce have first had access to excellent schooling, so they are ready to take on the challenges and learn throughout their lives.
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UncategorisedStuck in the coal age, when the solar century has already begun
editor | May 21, 2008
Martin Ferguson, let the cat out of the bag shortly after the Budget, when he said that carbon capture and storage would be "essential for the long-term sustainability of coal-fired power generation." With those words, he betrayed the fact that his government prioritises the coal sector’s profits over climate protection.
If that seems like a long bow to draw, look at the evidence that the Budget presents.
In the vital area of commercialisation of technologies, the myriad of renewable energy options that are ready to roll out now were allocated precisely zero for the coming year, with only $125 million in this term of government. Next to that, the pipedream that is ‘clean coal’ received $35 million this year and $250 million this term.
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UncategorisedDemocracy not Disunity
Douglascomms | May 21, 2008Let's drop the drivel and find a real story.
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UncategorisedSalute to the worker, who works for the”Green” cause
foggy | May 20, 2008How many people since the planet Earth was created must have had their favorite spots?
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Uncategorised
US soldier refuses to serve in ‘illegal Iraq war’
editor | May 20, 2008By Andrew Bartlett A US soldier has appeared at Congress, stating his refusal to serve in Iraq, citing grounds that the US military presence there "is unconstitutional and illegal."
Sergeant Matthis Chiroux had already served in Afghanistan, Germany, Japan, and the Philippines before he was honorably discharged and placed in the reserves, which immunises him against any cheap shots that he is just a coward. As a reservist, he was due to be deployed next month in Iraq. He's also showing further bravery by staying in the US and opening himself up to charges, rather than heading off to Canada or elsewhere.
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UncategorisedA comprehensive national feed-in law
editor | May 20, 2008
By Tim Hollo A new Bill by Greens Senator Christine Milne advocates greater financial support for the commercialisation of renewable energy technologies.
Against the backdrop of several appalling Rudd Government Budget decisions that will undermine the renewables industry in Australia even further (some of which are detailed here), Christine Milne introduced a Private Member's Bill in the Senate this morning to establish an comprehensive national feed-in law.
Feed-in laws support the rapid and unlimited growth of the renewables sector by giving certainty to investors, guaranteeing them a market at a set price.
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Uncategorised
The climate Budget betrayal
editor | May 20, 2008By Christine Milne Tuesday night's Budget was a slap in the face for all those Australians who voted for the Labor Party at the last election in the belief that a new government would be willing and able to make Australia a true global climate leader.
From the day he took leadership of the Labor Party, Kevin Rudd worked hard to present himself in contradistinction to John Howard on climate change. Climate was, more than anything else, supposed to be symbolic of the generational change from Howard to Rudd. My warnings at the time, that the Rudd Opposition had not fully digested the science, did not understand what was required, and was not offering well-thought out policy alternatives, did not fit into that narrative and were largely ignored. Hate to say it, but …
