Tasmanian independent MP, Andrew Wilkie, has backed the Labor party and Julia Gillard to form the next Australian Government. The move is a boost for the ALP with the three other independents signalling that stability is a key consideration in their decision.

Work has stopped on the National Broadband Network, Australia staggers around in a period of political instability. Nobody knows what's really going to happen next. And five or six men get more power than they ever dreamed of.

The results are in and neither side has emerged as a clear winner. With two such different broadband policies at play from both parties, what will a hung parliament do to our technology and the IT industry?

The Government’s $466.7 million has begun in Brisbane, Melbourne and the Hunter Valley (NSW). The pilot sites are set to get $12.5m over two years to trial the technology and practices.

The Australian ICT industry has little to gain from the Liberal Party and is likely to get behind the Labor Party and Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, according to AIIA CEO, Ian Birks.

As the Federal election draws near the battle lines are being drawn between our Labor Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and her long-term Liberal party sparring partner, Tony Abbott. In preparation, here are some of the top technology and communications issues that will affect business and people throughout Australia along with a breakdown of where the situation stands. We start with a breakdown of stances on mandatory filtering, Telstra's separation and the National Broadband Network.

It was supposed to be an easy election for the Labor Party. But things soured rapidly, recently, and PM Kevin Rudd became yesterday's hero. A bad poll or three and he was gone and Julia Gillard became Australia's first women PM. Since then she's attempted to patch the holes in Labor's sinking ship and regained much of the ground Rudd had lost. The Tony Abbott-led Opposition is unpredictable. It's made its mark by simply opposing - vehemently - just about everything. ARN will give you all the news that matters in the lead up to what appears a relatively tight poll, looking at the election from an IT and channel perspective with informed comment, detailed interviews, opinions and all the news. So check in regularly for all the latest.

The Labor party has delayed its internal vote on mandatory filtering indefinitely and revealed the draft bill has not been completed. The vote was originally expected to be held mid-March.