Dear Friends and Colleagues,
There is never a dull moment in this industry. But with the new regime in Canberra lifting the priority profile of ICT, it has just got more exciting.
Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd has named his Ministry, introducing some not-so-subtle changes of emphasis to portfolios that should be welcomed. Stephen Conroy has been appointed to the newly-named portfolio of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, while Kim Carr has been appointed Minister of the critical Innovation, Industry, Science and Research portfolio.
Importantly, Senator Conroy and Senator Carr are both in the Cabinet, giving the industry two voices at the most powerful table in the country. Add Mr Rudd, who has shown himself during the campaign to be personally engaged with the industry’s biggest issues – broadband infrastructure, skills, education and innovation – and you can see why this is an exciting time.
Senator Conroy has been a passionate advocate for the industry inside the Opposition party room. Labor’s national broadband pledge was incredibly ambitious. That the initiative was so big and announced so early in the campaign year had Senator Conroy’s fingerprints all over it.
The strength of some of Labor’s Industry initiatives announced by Senator Carr just days before the election took some of us by surprise, especially its welcome emphasis on fostering innovation and commercialisation – and in particular its plans focus on encouraging greater public and private research and development.
Lindsay Tanner’s appointment as Finance Minister in the Rudd Cabinet is also to be welcomed. Mr Tanner has been a Shadow Communications Minister and is very familiar with the industry. the Federal Government as a technology buyer wields tremendous influence. CeBIT Australia has had a long relationship with the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO), which falls within the Department of Finance, and we look forward to working with Mr Tanner.
Changes of Government can be unsettling. But at CeBIT Australia we are very encouraged by today’s appointments, and we’re very optimistic about the industry’s future.
