[LINK] "Advancing Australia as a Digital Economy"

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

On 13/06/2013 1:20 AM, stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:
> Media Release
>
> Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
> Leader of the Government in the Senate
> Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
> Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity
>
> Government taking action to achieve goal of Australia becoming a world-
> leading digital economy by 2020

Forgive me for being curmudgeonly, but I don't see how most (all?) these 
initiative will make Australia a "world-leading digital economy"

An economy is more than "digital" technology. It's about creating wealth 
through the development and use of products and services that people 
want. The real wealth will come  from products and services that can 
only exist because of the use of "digital" technology. Very little 
wealth is likely to be created by replacing existing mechanisms with 
"digital" mechanisms. In fact, it is likely that the use of "digital" 
technology as replacement mechanisms will result in less economic 
activity - it will be cheaper and need fewer people.

An analogy is the construction industry. If you make better hammers and 
screwdrivers (the tools of the trade) you won't make more or better 
houses and offices. You might sell more hammers and screwdrivers but you 
won't make much impact on the investment in new construction. And if the 
better hammers and screwdrivers involve powertools, fewer tradesmen will 
be needed, buildings will be cheaper and the construction industry (in 
economic value terms) may well contract.

"Digital" technology can be a powerful tool. Powerful tools need to be 
used carefully.

Just my $0.02

-- 

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Sydney Australia
email: brd at iimetro.com.au
web:   www.drbrd.com
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