Information Technology and Networks

Office of Government Information Technology, includes various publications and newsletters.

Papers from AusWeb96.

Real Audio

Note: The following links are to "Real Audio" sound recordings. This is a good example of multi-media through the web and it really does work! But first you will have to load the "Real Audio Player" which is available free from Progressive Networks. Go to their Homepage and follow the directions.

Michael Lee

OK, so this is a bit out of date and the site does not seem to be entering more recent recordings. Still, it is worth a listen.

Australian Minister for Communications and the Arts discusses the role of information technology advances. (This talk last about 10 minutes, it does not have to be "downloaded" to your disk but will play immediately.)

General Government Policy

• Australian Government Network Policy, a Bibliography.
• A list of policy statements and issues from Australia and other governments is given by the National Library of Australia in Governments and the Superhighway.
• The Commonwealth Cultural Policy statement, Creative Nation, discusses the role of information technology.
• On Australia Day last year the Governor-General made a statement on the "Internet/InfoBahn".
• For comparison information, check the United Kingdom and the G7 Governments background reports.

Studies and Submissions

• Study by the Australian Science & Technology Council (ASTC) submitted in July 94, "Matching Science and Technology to Future Needs: 2010". See also their science and technology policy links.
• Position paper submitted in December 94 by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) under the title "Vision of a Networked Nation - in the Public Interest".
• The Department of Communications and the Arts site has links to government policy statements including the 1994 Creative Nation.
• A Discussion Paper, "Converging Communications and Computer Technologies - Implications for Australia's Future Employment and Skills" by Employment and Skills Formation Council through the National Board of Employment, Education and Training, in February 95.
• A Report, "Clients First: the challenge for Government information technology" in March 95 by the Information Technology Review Group of Minister for Finance. This deals primarily with use of information technology within government agencies.

Specific Government Networks

Australian Academic and Research Network (AARNet)

The AArnet is owned by the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee and managed by Telstra. Established in 1989, it was set up to manage data communication and research services between Australian universities and CSIRO, and to provide a gateway to Internet. Commercial subscribers are now admitted. See also:

Education Network for Australia (EdNA)

This is the master plan announced by Simon Crean, DEET in his media release "Learning on the Superhighway" on 6 April 95. Basically, the goal is to "put education and training on the information superhighway" by linking all education and training facilities throughout Australia and the world. It is a cooperative venture between the Commonwealth and State governments.

The formal announcement and Media Release were given on 26 May 95, following a meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education and Youth Affairs.

These were followed by a Speech on 9 June 95 by Creen at DEET, "Australia's Schools and the Information Highway"

Conferences and Papers

"Architecture for Access to Government Information"

AusWeb96, Second Australian World Wide Web Conference.

7-9 July 1996, Conrad Jupiters, Gold Coast, Queensland.

Asia-Pacific World-Wide Web'95

conference & Exhibition, 18-21 September 1995, Sydney.

AusWeb95

AusWeb95 Conference, and the projected AusWeb96 Conference, from Southern Cross University. They also publish the Papers from the 1995 Conference, including:

1. Australian References and Indexes.
2. Electronic Scholarly Publishing and the World Wide Web.
3. The World Wide Web as an Academic Forum.
4. WWW, Researchers and Research Services.

Agency and Corporation announcements

• Publications of ASTEC, 1977-1994.
• Media Release on 8 Sep 94 by ASTEC. "Science and Technology in the 21st Century".
• Media Release on 22 Sep 94 by ASTEC. "More Network Capacity Vital for researchers and the community".
• Media Release on 20 Nov 94 by ASTEC. "What Direction the Superhighway??".
• For the latest statements and government programs, see the Department of Communications and the Arts.

Other sources of information

• Australian Computer Society

• Matilda in Cyberspace, an electronic journal by ANU. Many useful articles about network in Australia, but has not been updated since May 95.

• AVCC documents on Electronic publishing.

• Sydney University Vice Chancellor's Information Technology Committee

WWW VL Index