Jimmy's weblog

After seven years as Australia’s Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Alston is finally gone to be replaced by former Attorney General Daryl Williams.

Senator Alston leaves behind a long trail of “achievements” from his time as Minister, including:

• A digital TV regime no-one watches due to its high cost and lack of variety due to regulation protecting current TV license holders
• One of the OECD’s lowest broadband Internet penetration rates
• One of the OECD’s most expensive broadband pricing structures due to regulative support for the incumbent monopolist player (Telstra)
• Accepting a $10,000 plasma television for his personal use from Telstra, a company his office regulates
• A number of questionable statements regarding the use of broadband Internet including:
  

  Labor has called for all homes Australia wide to be cabled by 2006 as part of its Knowledge Nation policy statement. Communications and IT Minister Richard Alston called this policy “a costly waste of time” and said in South Korea, broadband takeup was driven “by kids playing games”. Mr Alston said his kids didn’t need any help from the government in that regard.
  

  “Well for example, people will tell you that pornography is one of the major reasons why there’s been a high take-up rate in South Korea. I haven’t confirmed that at first instance but I’ve been there, I’ve looked at what’s happening.”

  In Senate Question Time today, Minister Alston acknowledged that a ‘pair gain’ connection resulted in a reduction of internet connection speeds. However, Minister Alston supported Telstra’s practice of not informing consumers that they were getting a sub-standard service. The Minister said that there was “nothing unusual or cynical” about Telstra not advising customers that they may be supplied with a ‘pair gain’.

• Spending four million dollars of taxpayers money on his website which was filled with errors
• Multiple attempts to ban of porn on the Internet
• Banning online gaming for Australians while still allowing Australian companies to run gaming websites for foreigners

Those hoping things will improve with Senator Alston’s departure, take note. Daryl Williams was recently awarded the Big Brother Award for lifetime menace to privacy by the Australian Privacy Foundation.

Farewell Senator - no one in the IT industry will miss you at all, except for the company who was given your website contract.