Kate Lundy for IT: The Change We Really Need

So the federal government #spill is done and we have our first female PM in Julia Gillard. Wow. Kevin Rudd, we hardly knew you. If this is to change what matters to people like us, we want to see Conroy follow Rudd to a seat up the back [UPDATE: or move him up to Finance now Tanner is leaving… -ed] . Give the Broadband, Communications, and Digital Economy portfolio to someone who really understands how important and exciting the future of the BCDE portfolio really is. We want the job to go to Senator Kate Lundy — unquestionably the best person for the job.

So today we start a Gizmodo campaign to encourage our new Prime Minister to choose the BEST person for the job. Sure, politics doesn’t always work that way. Look at the history of tech ministers… But today we have a chance to change the terrible course Conroy has put us on. Let’s say ‘No More Conroy! We Want Lundy!’

We know politics is all about back room deals and promises, but keeping Senator Conroy on board as your BCDE minister would be a mistake. Aside from trying to force a puritanical Internet filter down our throats, he has repeatedly embarrassed the Labor party in the eyes of the tech-savvy by making shit up to help his arguments about how scary technology and the Internet can be if we don’t apply greater measures of control. Statements like iiNet supporting the proposed filter, that Google hoovered up banking details with their streetview cars. Statements of a man who doesn’t truly understand what he’s talking about, or worse, understands but flagrantly denies the truth to run with an agenda. He has lost all respect in the technology community, regularly acting like a petulant child when someone who does understand the space criticises his actions.

Then there’s the whole spams and scams thing. Even after a few weeks, we haven’t worked out what the hell the portal is.

Don’t be too tempted to show government stability by keeping the frontbench as is. BCDE is a portfolio that is hurting the government’s respect amongst the netizens of our Australian community.

But you know who does have a lot of respect with the tech community? Senator Kate Lundy.

We’ll be exploring why in coming days, and we hope you’ll take note. If it’s time for a change in Labor, there’s no better change than replacing Conroy with a forward thinking minister for BCDE like Senator Lundy.


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