[LINK] Ten take stand on economy

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Ten take stand on economy
Selina Mitchell
23 January 2001
http://australianit.news.com.au/common/storyPage/0,3811,1636480%5E442,00.html

AUSTRALIA'S key technology industry bodies have formed a lobby group
to exploit moves by political parties to portray themselves as
new-economy thinkers.

With at least five government elections due in Australia this year,
the diverse groups hope the new combination will avoid past problems
with key messages being lost because of a too-many-cooks syndrome.

The Information Communications Technology Alliance, linking 10
industry groups, will seek to make technology a major issue in
upcoming state and federal polls.

While each had its own barrows to push, there were many issues on
which the 10 agreed, Information Industry Association executive
director Rob Durie said.

These included the growing information technology skills shortage, the
lack of tax incentives for technology investment in Australia, and
ensuring equal, affordable access to information infrastructure.

Mr Durie said the groups had not left their lobbying push too late,
despite the impending release of the Government's innovation plan and
Labor's Knowledge Nation statement.

He said the statements "must include funding increases for public
sector research and stronger links between industry and the research
sector".

The Government and the Opposition have increased their rhetoric on
technology issues in recent months, because of the weakness of the
Australian dollar and a rush of comment on the country's old-economy
image by the heads of multinational companies.

Labor leader Kim Beazley will reveal more detail of his party's
Knowledge Nation strategy tomorrow, and Prime Minister John Howard is
scheduled to make his innovation statement next Monday.

-- 
You only go as far as you push.
-- Unknown

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd@dynamite.com.au