Delivering broadband network top of Labor's list

Senator Stephen Conroy, the newly appointed Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and a member of cabinet in the new Rudd Labor Government said the newly elected government will also “be focusing on the roll out of digital television and radio and restoring media diversity within Australia.”

In a statement to the press on his new position Conroy said his previous position as ‘Shadow Minister for Communications and Information Technology’ has helped prepare him for the role as the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.

Senator Conroy has worked closely with the industry to develop policies which he hopes will take "Australia’s communications sector into a new era of digital convergence".

The Australian Computer Society has also thrown its weight behind Senator Conroy.

ACS President Philip Argy welcomed the new Federal Government’s continued commitment to the ICT portfolio and applauded the creation of Australia’s first ministry focused on innovation.

“Stephen Conroy has demonstrated a keen interest in our ICT industry and has been very actively campaigning on key industry issues. We look forward to working with him and Kim Carr to implement many of the announced initiatives – in particular the plan to convert Australian secondary schools into digital schools, as well as the proposed National Broadband Network," he said.

According to outgoing president, Argy, Prime Minister-elect, Kevin Rudd, has acknowledged technology as the driving force of our nation’s economic prosperity and reinforced this stance by including the ICT portfolio in Cabinet.

“The two sweet spots on the innovation continuum are when the broader community makes innovative use of existing technology, and secondly where our ICT industry creates innovative technology. Our views on these issues were outlined in the NICTIA 10 Year National Strategic Vision released earlier in the year," he said.

Argy was also gracious enough to formally thank "Senator Helen Coonan for her good relations with and contribution to, the Australian ICT industry.”

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