ARN view: Is cloistered Conroy ruining it for Labor?
- 20 February, 2009 12:49
- Comments 42
Communications minister Stephen Conroy is a tough man to track down. For over a year we have tried to secure an interview with him, only to be continually met with empty promises to “follow up” and secure a time. Recently, IDG was flatly told by Conroy's PA that he simply won’t be available for us to pose any questions on behalf of our readership, at any time whatsoever.
Excuse me Mr Conroy, but aren’t we your constituents? Aren’t you supposed to be available to all media outlets, not just the “dailies”?
Conroy is living in a cloistered world.
The gagging and secrecy surrounding the National Broadband Network process was a convenient way of deflecting public and political scrutiny, not to mention the fact that the government in all its technical know-how has deemed itself capable of dictating the technological requirements of the new network, while leaving the industry to bicker over regulation. Pretty much every other country that's built a next-gen network has done the reverse.
Then there’s the mandatory ISP-level filtering, again a proposal shrouded in secrecy, of which the government itself seems incapable of giving us a clear and concise indication of exactly what the proposal entails.
That's two strikes, Mr Conroy.
If the NBN and Internet filtering are anything to go by, I think he is lining up for the big third strike when it comes time to switch over to digital TV. If the current American experience is anything to go by, I think we are in for a tough time in digital communications in Australia over the next few years.
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Comments
Anonymous
Conroy is a little sneak.
He
Conroy is a little sneak.
He has the IT expertise of a flea.
Bob
I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Mr Conroy was the main reason Labour lose the next election. My guess is he misses being in opposition.
Anonymous
ALP - Australian LABOR Party
Seriously, learn to spell the name of his party, maybe he'll give you an interview?
Trevor Clarke
Thank you for picking up the typo
It's fixed now - thanks for picking that up.
Redrascal
he thinks that we voted in labor to do what he is doing, not true, i think we voted labor because it was the lesser of two evils. Conroy seems to be playing some sort of game with our future
Anonymous
I think he should be sacked! Sounds like incompetent dude for the job -_-;
Hari Seldon
Senator Luddite
If Senator Conroy remains Australia's Communications minister we as a country run a real risk of being left behind in the world's technological economy. We already have a distinct disadvantage that our geographical isolation brings, we do not need Senator 'Luddite' crippling Australia's technological capabilities further, and fostering a hostile environment for learning, research and development.
Anonymous
We can only hope that Labor gets voted out, and quickly, before they can do any more damage.
Anonymous
Funniest thing EVER:
A
Funniest thing EVER:
A Communications Minister that REFUSES to talk to ANYONE unless he THINKS it will suit him.
I know, I have TRIED 8 times, and his PA promised a return email or call - NEVER RESPONDED.
A Communications Minister that Gags himself?
A Communications Minister that cannot even speak in a technically correct manor?
A Communications Minister that fails at the very fundimental parts of his role - communicating
A Communications Minister that wont listen to the Australian people on matters relating to Filtering, NBN & DTV!
Steven Conroy - FAIL
I am disgusted.
Anonymous 2
@Anonymous
Please don't say
@Anonymous
Please don't say that about fleas.
You are insulting fleas with that comment.
Say no to animal cruelty.
Steve
Vote changer
I have been a long time Labor voter. Conroy's stances have made me seriously consider my vote. If there were an election today, whilst I might put Labor above Liberal in a senate vote, they would be many placed before them. If Conroy doesn't learn to communicate soon he's going to (even more) seriously damage his party's position come the next election.
Anonymous
BUYING A VOTE
But isn't the filtering mainly about buying support from Sen Fielding
Maybe they are dragging it out so they can keep saying to The Christian that they are "doing something"
Anonymous
Conroy lacks vision
I think Conroy lacks any vision for the communications portfolio.
The only thing he seems to be good at is counting numbers in the ALPs factions and probably bullying his colleagues.
Rudd needs to step up and get rid of this clown and get someone in the job who can deliver the promises they made at the election.
I have no hope that their current direction is going to deliver anything soon.
Jonathan
'Minister' Conroy
Come on
'Minister' Conroy
Come on guys he's offering Australian's a 25th century network running at lightning speed of 12Mbps!
Telstra's WIRELESS network is just about to goto 21Mbps and by end of year will be around 42Mbps...
At least Conroy's planning on building a National Network that will take a few years and at the end of it will be 12Mbps which is slower than my current connection!
I would suggest he take a look around at other countries to see what they are doing...
Let me help our hard working Conroy, Korea's 'upgrade plan seems to be a little better than ours not to mention they have had fibre to the NODE for years already!
Korea's 3 year plan will see that they have 1Gbps (1024Mbps) to the HOME that's around 85x faster than our awesome upgrade!
http://www.fareastgizmos.com/computing/while_in_korea_download_a_120minute_film_in_just_12_seconds.php
Regards
Jonathan
Anonymous
Shssssh
The Senator has a tough job and his minders are doing their job keeping him cloistered. Quiet as a mouse behind his 'personal firewall' he operates in a world of poor advice and half nonsense. Never in the history of the IT in Australia have we had someone so disinclined to engage, and this is a time of open engagement by many politicians globally. It's sad, very sad that the Senator was ever given this role. We as Australian will suffer the consequences for decades to come.
Anonymous
Labor Has Lost Votes
Labor has lost my vote because of Conroy not listening to the experts on Mandatory Internet Filtering.
There are many thousands more that feel exactly the same as me.
Labor you're now known as the government that's against free speech and it will hang over your head for decades to come.
Anonymous
your so right, they took out the yoU in labor
Brad
spot on, you are definitely not alone. life long labor voter has been turned around by one dickhead in a very short time. Well done kevin, great choice to destroy labors chances at being re-elected for another decade.
Anonymous
clearly the contingency plan is to get the filter implemented asap - ie before the next election.
labor figure they have to fear post implementation.
one can only assume, at that point, articles like this become difficult to publish....
as for korea? i might look at migrating there. at least then my small business would get some relief. stuck with shdsl here, and it is a serious (read $$) burden. the state of the NBN alone is a form of censorship...and effective one at that!
<strong>ffs!</strong>
senator conjob observe my middle finger.
Dan Awlinson
"But isn't the filtering mainly about buying support from Sen Fielding
Maybe they are dragging it out so they can keep saying to The Christian that they are "doing something""
That was my original thought as well....but to be honest, if that's the plan, they're moving along far too quickly. Trials already? They could have held out on that until just before the end of the term at least. And ignoring the plum opportunity to stall that the current public outrage gives him is a very foolish move. Let's see the senate review committee on the internet filter formed, let's see some reports on whether the filter should block any sites hosting no child porn, or if the list of those sites should be made public, or if the public should be given the opportunity to opt-in to this extended blacklist rather than being forced to request to be freed from it.
Seriously guys, learn to stall already.
Anonymous
im a long time labor voter but this will change at the next election if this clown of a communication minister is still there.
Anonymous
Those who support labor generally can't spell
Anonymous
At least a flea jumps forward.
Ex Labor Voter.
Anonymous
Some porn is good for couples sex life I agree but the internet itself does have a lot of other content that really are inappropriate. They only fuel certain sick minds out there. On the other hand, internet filtering is not the solution.
In fact the whold world needs to work together on this one with the public to come up with a common solution.
Anonymous
Conroy's equivilant!
Stephen Conroy today = the Anthony Comstock of America!
dedsetmad
Labouring over spelling
I agree...Labour voters are generally working class because they didn't get a decent education.... by their very nature, they are gormless primates. On the other hand Liberal voters are usually ponces with their heads shoved firmly up their arses, and can be identified by the fact that they will be wearing a suit on Saturday (probably trying to sell something). And of course Greens wear 'dreads'. Isn't it neat and convenient to fit people into boxes? Fun too!
Anonymous
Informed responses?
The Liberal Party screwed us over with Telstra and spent their entire term doing nothing but making excuses and changing directions so to make anti Labor comments demonstrate the lack of knowledge by several people posting here. The reason we are in this state lie purely with the Liberals years of fiasco's. Perhaps people have forgotten Coonan?
I have met with the Minister on several occasions and I see him at all of the relevant conferences and industry forums. Just because he doesn't find the time to answer the same questions over and over doesn't mean that he isn't capable.
The internet filtering issue lies with the Family First Party and if you don't understand that then take the time to get familiar with the facts.
Anonymous
tired of one idiot minister after another
Weve had Alston then Coonan and now Conroy. Seems to me labor or liberal no-one with any brains wants to be communications minister, why is that?
Anonymous
Conroy seems way out of his depth
The NBN will never be built. Its pretty obvious by now Senator Conroy is way out of his depth as minister for communications and the digital economy. Infact I doubt he even knows what a digital ecconmy is. He can always look it up on his laptop if hes ever asked the question which is what he does for every answer in parliament question time. I mean how many answers can be scripted for questions with or without notice ..sheesh! When he gets the boot and he surely will, who will we get next?
Walter Adamson
Serial incompetence continues ...
I voted for Rudd but like others I'm astounded by the serial incompetence of those responsible for comms/IT. The ministers of all camps seem to surround themselves with the same useless fleas that have given us the lost two decades of comms/IT in this country.
Now that Rudd has come out with his make-work "stimulus" of painting school gutters and his colours are clear, we are really sinking into the digital backwaters. I'll be following the masses and voting him out next time. Not because the others have any idea but just for revenge!
Mark
Australian Labour Party
The original spelling was "Australian Labour Party" but it was changed to the American "Labor" about a hundred years ago by some dill called King O'Malley who wanted to suck up to America. It has been a misspelt party ever since.
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