The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy want you to change your password.
Checkout http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/ for more info or watch the video below.
The Department for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has refused Tech Wired access to documents containing information regarding the National Broadband Network.
Received just yesterday was a 17-page document containing several reasons as to why the Government will not release The Panel of Experts’ Report detailing suggestions for a winning NBN tender.
You can download the 17-page report here.
Nikki Vajrabukka, Acting Assistant Secretary told Tech Wired:
“I decide that the Report is wholly exempt under section 34 and section 36 of the FOI Act and therefore it is not to be released”.
Section 34 details the release of Cabinet documents under the Freedom of Information Act. The images below shows why a Cabinet document can not be released:
Since when did the Experts’ Panel Report become a cabinet document? According to the 17-page report, it refers to letters sent out to the panel members which suggest they:
“…provide its recommendations to the Government”
The report also states a press release from Senator Conroy saying:
“…the Government is now considering the Panel of Experts’ Report”
Nikki Vajrabukka decided that “the Government” should be taken to mean “the Cabinet” and therefore a refusal to the report.
As to section 36? As the report is an internal working document described below in the image, it is also refused release.
You may note that release is granted if the document is in the public’s interest, but of course the Department denied that on the grounds that:
“…the factors against disclosure of the Report outweigh the factors in favour of disclosure of the Report. That is, disclosure would in my view be contrary to the public interest. Having regard to the contents of the Report, I have decided the Report is wholly exempt under subsection 36(1).”
It’s clear as to why the government don’t want anyone knowing what’s in the report. With journalists speculating left, right and centre, why not take an evidence based approach I thought? Though, it seems I was left with a dead parrot.
So what did we learn?
Tech Wired learned that:
“The Minister [Senator Conroy] will make the final decision on the outcomes of the RFP process following consultation with Cabinet and Cabinet agreement to any proposed legislative changes”
We also learned that the ACCC’s separate advice will be attached to the Panel of Experts’ Report as part of the NBN process and consultation with Cabinet.
As to what remains unknown is the day Senator Conroy will announce the winning tenderer, will it be CommsDay? With Kevin Rudd out of town, many say not, but if that’s the case it’ll be past Conroy’s time (stated in Hansard) of:
“By March”.
Tech Wired today learned that the Australian Government will release its secret National Broadband Network Report if paid fees of up to $3,631.99.
Just yesterday we reported on the progress of a Freedom of Information application put forward by Tech Wired to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE). Today we received confirmation of certain costs to go forward. Read more
The Australian Government is refusing to release the commissioned National Broadband Network Report that suggests possible tenders for the NBN, saying that it…
“…has the potential to prejudice the outcome of the process.”
As such, the government wont be letting anyone, including the opposition, scrutinise the report. What does this mean? It means that it will allow the Department for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to choose whoever they see fit as the tenderer for the National Broadband Network, without any fear of being scrutinised. Therefore Tech Wired has decided to take action… Read more
Tech Wired Australia recently interviewed user Matthew Law from online forum Whirlpool. Matthew submitted an abortion website to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for review as to whether such content is prohibited in Australia.
WITH the panel of experts’ report for the National Broadband Network tender complete; it’s crunch time. Read more
WHEN you send a Government department an email or a letter relating to
a piece of legislation they’re trying to pass that you wish to comment
on, you’d generally expect either a response noting your input, or no
response at all.
What you don’t expect is to be referred to email your local MP of whom is
a member of the Opposition, and holds a Shadow portfolio in no way
related to the issue at hand.
The response I got from the local MP was even sadder.
I had the chance to do a follow up interview with Mark Newton of Internode regarding the Australian Internet filtering proposition put forward by the Federal Government.
In the Interview Mark and Tech Wired Australia discuss what has happened in the past few weeks since we talked, including the expression of interest of which was released a couple of days ago.
Mark finds that the expression of interest is of very poor standard and seems like a rush job by the Government.
Give the interview a listen, and keep writing to the Government.
Don’t forget you can subscribe in iTunes here or our feed here:
“SENATOR Stephen Conroy is in Canberra today and will launch the Australian Industry Group and Deloitte National CEO Survey, High Speed to Broadband: Measuring industry demand for a world class service.”
That is all that is know right now, and that what ever is will be talked about at 11:00am AEDST in the House of Representatives Alcove, Australian Parliament House.
As more news comes to light, we’ll post it.
Hopefully this is to do with the National Broadband network and ISP’s being surveyed on what they think is the best option… and perhaps letting the Government know that the proposed Internet Filtering scheme will hold them back.
Photo credit: [File photo] (AAP: Alan Porritt)
