Licensed clubs pay a vibrant part in the fabric of Australian communities and my electorate of Bradfield is no exception.

The Rudd Government’s disastrously mismanaged Home Insulation Program was abruptly halted nearly two years ago. But many Australians are still feeling the impact of this poorly conceived and appallingly executed program. I see the evidence of this in my electorate every day.

 What can Australia learn from the UK experience of broadband, and that government’s approach?

To start with, the UK is spending vastly less than Australia.  The Cameron Government announced in December 2010 that it will spend £530 million (or A$1.23 billion) to promote the deployment of “superfast” broadband in the UK.  This is around $20 for each citizen of the UK – compared to $1600 for each man, women and child in Australia. 

Fletcher to Chair Online Safety Working Group

Newly appointed chair of the Coalition’s Online Safety Working Group, Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield said he was pleased to have been asked to lead this important piece of work for the Coalition.

‘As a parliamentarian, as a former senior telecommunications executive and as a dad, I know that this is a really important issue.’

 The Coalition Online Safety Working Group will consult with key technology, education and cyber-safety leaders, parents and young people, as well as other interested parties, to further develop Coalition online safety policy in the areas of education, regulation and enforcement.

‘I am looking forward to working with the other Coalition parliamentarians on this group. Together, we bring a range of relevant experience: our group includes parents, grandparents and people with backgrounds in education, in law enforcement and in the internet and communications sector’.

‘We will work closely with Shadow Ministers that have portfolios that cover the issue of online safety, particularly the Shadow Ministers for Education and Communications’.

The Coalition does not seek to repeat Labor’s ham-fisted attempt to put a filter on the internet or to hinder the dynamic nature of the online environment, but we do want to assist and equip parents and teachers in their work of protecting our children and preparing them for adulthood.

Over the coming months, the Working Group will undertake roundtables and community forums across Australia as well as a series of events online.

The Online Safety Working Group will report back to the Opposition Leader and Shadow Cabinet by mid 2012