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Tasmania To New York: We're Faster
Written by Dave Burstein   
Thursday, 12 August 2010 15:24
Russell_Falls_TasmaniaLarissa Bartlett startled New Yorkers by telling us the Internet runs faster in Tasmania. If Labour wins the election next week, Mike Quigley's National Broadband Network will bring 100 megabit and even a gigabit to 93% of the country; the opposition promises to kill off the NBN as too expensive. Prime Minister Julie Gillard flew to Hobart for the official opening of the NBN -- and some politicking.

   "The NBN is probably the definitive issue of the campaign, especially for Tasmania where it has all begun and we are rolling out the cable first," Ms Gillard said. "It is particularly important for Tasmania, especially where broadband has been lagging behind the rest of the country for so long. This will be a historic day for not only Tasmania but the rest of the nation because it officially marks the start of the fibre future and puts Tasmania at the forefront of the digital revolution." (The Mercury)

      The impact of broadband is overstated in Australia as it is in other countries. I don't go as far as Grahame Lynch, who writes in the Australian "NBN is welfare for tech-heads," believing the a great Internet is worth the cost.

Grahame is right that broadband alone is unlikely to have such a transforming effect.

      Mr. Larissa Bartlett is the Tasmanian Premier, David Bartlett. Perhaps to forestall criticism of their U.S. trip, he released details of the itinerary. I discovered that in D.C. he connected with Larry Irving of HP, who promised to come soon to Tasmania. I'm including it here as an example I wish other officials followed. Julius?


Tasmania’s Broadband Advantage Promoted to the World

Friday, 23 July 2010

The Premier, David Bartlett, today released a comprehensive summary of events on his nine-day trip to the United States. The travel diary shows almost 40 events in nine days, and several follow-up opportunities for Tasmania. “These have been some of the most intense and rewarding days in my political career,” Mr Bartlett said.

“I’m delighted to have met so many influential and innovative players in the U.S. government, media, and IT industry, and convinced them of Tasmania’s incredible potential.

“Tasmania will be the most connected place on the planet by 2014. This trip has ensured the IT world knows it.

“Anyone who labelled this “light on” or “a junket” is clearly wrong, and has damaged their credibility.

“They also clearly don’t care about selling Tasmania’s imminent and unique IT advantages to the world, and therefore creating new jobs and new opportunities.

“While the opposition grabs a cheap headline, the Government will work hard, and take responsibility for ensuring Tasmanians have a bright, dynamic future in the new digital economy,” Mr Bartlett said.


Monday 11 July, Washington DC
1.  Australia America Leadership Dialogue – U.S. State Department Reception.
U.S. Government Official Function (Larissa Bartlett in attendance for formal State function.) The Australian American Leadership Dialogue is the private bi-partisan diplomatic initiative which brings together Australian and American leaders to help review and refine the parameters of the bilateral relationship and look for mutual investment and trade opportunities with leaders of business and Government.

2. Meeting with Merdad Baghai, Managing Director - Alchemy Growth Partners. Opportunity to follow up: possible partnership to provide online and real programs for student development in Tasmanian schools.

3. Meeting with Dr. Lesley Russell, Menzies Foundation Fellow and Visiting Fellow at the Centre for American Progress, George Washington University.
Opportunity to follow up: to share progressive online health strategy.

Tuesday 12 July, Washington DC

4. Australia America Leadership Dialogue – Breakfast Briefing on U.S. Political Status.

5. Australia America Leadership Dialogue – U.S. State Department Briefing, including briefing from Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, on U.S. Australian and global issues.

6. Meeting with Larry Irving, Vice President - Global Government Relations, Hewlett Packard.
Discussed NBN roll out in Australia.
Opportunity to follow up: Larry Irving to visit Tasmania to discuss HP involvement in innovative NBN applications.

7.  Larissa Bartlett, as Brand Ambassador, interview with Food and Wine Magazine editor.
Opportunity to follow up: Information from DEDTA to be provided for further articles.

8. Australia America Leadership Dialogue – Library of Congress Reception for Bipartisan Australian Members of Parliaments and Bipartisan U.S. Members of Congress. (Larissa Bartlett in attendance for formal State function.)

9. Australia America Leadership Dialogue – Co-present with Professor Larry Smarr and Senator Stephen Conroy on NBN rollout, and potential in Tasmania and Australia, to a session of delegates to the AALD.
Opportunity to follow up: 15-20 business contacts to be followed up by Premier’s Office, DEDTA and DPAC.

Wednesday 14 July, Washington DC

10. Australia America Leadership Dialogue – Breakfast Briefing on U.S. Economic Status.

11.  Meeting with Patrick Dewar, Corporate Vice President - Lockheed Martin.  Discussion on Lockheed Martin’s investment in innovative large scale renewable energy projects globally.
Opportunity to follow up: Invite Lockheed Martin representatives to visit Tasmania with potential investment.

12. Meeting with Bruce Wolpe, Senior Advisor to Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Discussion on U.S. renewable energy investment policy and industry assistance models.

13. Meeting with Indigo Telecom USA – CEO, Matthew Freedman.  Discuss provision of services for regions beyond fibre reach of NBN.
Opportunity to follow up: Invite Indigo’s Australian start-up office to Tasmania.

14.  Meeting with Leonard M. Harlan of Castle Harlan Inc.
Discussion on import of Tasmanian Fine Furniture.
Opportunity to follow up: Potential for Design Centre to follow up.

15. Australia America Leadership Dialogue – Briefing and side meeting with Daniel Poneman, Deputy Secretary - US Department of Energy.
Discussion on U.S. renewable energy investment policy and industry assistance models.

16. Visit to residence of Australian Ambassador to the U.S., Hon. Kim Beazley AM.  Discussion on Ambassador’s potential role for Tasmania in “G’day USA” events.  Discussion on U.S.-Australia trade and investment with focus on NBN and renewable energy. (Larissa Bartlett in attendance for formal State function.) Opportunity to follow up: Tourism Tasmania to follow up with Embassy regarding Tasmania specific event to be held at the residence.

17. Meeting with U.S. Education Secretary, Arne Duncan.
Discussion on online education, connected classroom policy and opportunities.
Opportunity to follow up:  Connected classroom opportunities between U.S. and Tasmanian schools specifically in Australian Smart Towns and U.S. equivalents.

Thursday 15 July, Washington DC – New York

TRAVEL TO NEW YORK FROM WASHINGTON DC – 5 HOURS

18.  Interview with Fast Company Magazine in New York. Magazine dedicated to reporting about how the “fast companies”, entrepreneurs, and cutting-edge are doing what they do.
Opportunity to follow up: Premier’s Office to follow up re. Smart Grid Tasmanian opportunity story and detail.

Friday 16 July, New York

19.  Meeting with Beth Noveck.
Beth Simone Noveck is the United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Open Government, and leads President Obama
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Open Government Initiative >. Based at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy >, she is an expert on technology and institutional innovation.
Opportunity to follow up:  Multiple policy opportunities for Tasmanian Government in online service delivery, transparency and policy formulation.  Invitation to Beth Noveck to visit Tasmania in the coming months, to work with Government.

20.  Interview with New York Times former Australian Correspondent.


21. Interview with the Infrastructurist - a global online publication focussed on major infrastructure sustainability and innovation around the world.

22.  Meeting with Steve Hasker, President Media Product Leadership.  Discuss online media, entertainment opportunities and like proponents for Tasmania.
Opportunity to follow up:  Invitation for Hasker to strategically advise on element of NBN exploitation strategy.

23.  Australia America Leadership Dialogue Conclusion.
Briefing from Terrance Checki – Deputy Chief, U.S. Federal Reserve, on Economic prospects and implications for global economic recovery.

Saturday 17 July, New York

23.  Larissa Bartlett, as Brand Ambassador, interview with Travel and Leisure Magazine, Senior Editor.
Opportunity to follow up: Information from DEDTA to be provided for further articles.

24.  Larissa Bartlett, as Brand Ambassador, interview with The New Yorker Magazine.
Opportunity to follow up: Information from DEDTA to be provided for further articles.

25.  Meeting with Matt Leavy, CEO - Pearson e-College. Pearson is an international media company with world-leading businesses in education, business information and consumer publishing.  Pearson have recently made a major investment in a Tasmanian e-learning company.  Discussion on potential expansion plans in Tasmania as part of Pearson e-College global network of online education development shops.
Opportunity to follow up:  Invite Matt Leavy to visit Tasmania in the next few months and work to assist expansion plans for company in Tasmania.

26. Meeting with Clinton Moloney, Managing Consultant - Blu Skye Sustainability Consulting >. Tasmanian Alumni with global experience in sustainability advice for major corporates and government.
Monday 19 July New York - Seattle
27. Meeting with Mark Habner, Managing Director - SSA&COMPANY.  Tasmanian Alumni with global experience in development.  Brand Tasmania advocate in New York with connections to media, publishing and finance.

LARISSA BARTLETT DEPARTS FOR TASMANIA
TRAVEL TO SEATTLE FROM NEW YORK – 5 HOURS

28.  Meeting with Nigel Warren, Consul General for Australia (West Coast, U.S.A.).  Discuss investment and trade strategies and brief Consul on Tasmanian opportunities.
Opportunity to follow up:  Several areas for follow up by DPAC and Premier’s office, with particular reference to Silicon Valley companies, NBN, “G’day USA” Innovation events.

Tuesday 20 July Seattle
29.  Meeting with Alex Steffan, Executive Director - World Changing (http://www.worldchanging.com >). Their blurb: Worldchanging.com is a non-profit media organization headquartered in Seattle, WA, that comprises a global network of independent journalists, designers and thinkers. We cover the world’s most innovative solutions to the planet’s problems, and inspire readers around the world with stories of new tools, models and ideas for building a bright green future.
Opportunity to follow up:  Major opportunity for Tasmanian articles in a significant global online publication on renewables, water, sustainability and optic fibre.  Invited Alex Steffan to visit Tasmania – potentially January – for a focus on Tasmanian sustainability opportunities.

30.  Meeting with Tim Harris, Business Development Director from Microsoft.  Discussion on online Government, “town hall” applications and “Citizen at the Centre” strategies.
Opportunity to follow up: Significant opportunity to trial citizen engagement tools in Smart Towns and further across NBN.  Microsoft and DPAC to work together on potential pilots.

31.  Meeting with Steven Walzer, Business Development Manager – Health Solutions Group from Microsoft.  Discussion on Health applications, with specific emphasis on citizen at the centre strategies, for engagement in self management of chronic disease, online health monitoring, home-based online health solutions.
Opportunity to follow up: Significant opportunity to trial Health tools in Smart Towns and further across NBN.  Microsoft, DPAC, DHHS to work together on potential pilots.

32.  Meeting with Brendon Lynch – Chief Privacy Officer from Microsoft, as well as other executives.  Discussion and demonstration of Microsoft Hohm products, and their application in high-speed broadband communities.
Opportunity to follow up: Significant opportunity to trial applications in Smart Towns and further across NBN.  Microsoft and the Premier’s office to work together on potential pilots.

Wednesday 21 July Seattle – San Jose – Silicon Valley – San Francisco TRAVEL TO SEATTLE – SAN JOSE – 4 HOURS

33. Meeting with CISCO Executives.
Strategic briefing on networking technology futures, and discussion on broadband applications in Tasmania.  Discussion on process for driving innovation from the “ground up” in NBN smart towns.
Opportunity to follow up:  A range of areas with regard to Smart Town technologies.

34.  Meeting with Paul De Martini – Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Smart Grid Technology, CISCO.
Discussion on smart grid technology application and potential pilot site for smart grid, smart building technology in Tasmania.
Opportunity to follow up:  Major opportunity for CISCO (and other technologies) trials in Tasmania.  Vice President open to visit Tasmania in the coming months.  Follow up with local CISCO in the interim.

35.  Meeting with Meebo.com executives.  Meebo is a fast growing Silicon Valley company that partner with a development team in Tasmania and are looking to expand access to Tasmanian skills.
Opportunity to follow up:  Work with MEEBO.com in the short term to grow Tasmanian connections.

36.  Meeting with Managing Partners of Tasmanian development firm Secret Lab, in Silicon Valley.  Discuss opportunities for growth in jobs in Tasmania via partnership in Silicon Valley.
Opportunity to follow up:  Very good prospects for jobs growth in mobile phone applications development.  Work with Secret Lab and other Tasmanian companies to enhance links into Silicon Valley.  Develop strategy to skill-up Tasmanian developers in this area.

37.  Meeting with Andrew Lacy – Co-Founder and CEO of Tapulous. Tapulous Inc. is an American > software > and video game > developer > and publisher > headquartered in Palo Alto, California >. It had recently been acquired as a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company > as part of the Disney Interactive Media Group >. The company’s most profitable products are the Tap Tap > series of music games, which has surpassed over thirty-five million downloads Opportunity to follow up:  Founder Andrew Lacy is Australian and is keen to work back in Australia mentoring young development companies.  Premier’s office to follow up with Andrew Lacy on development strategy for Tasmanian start-ups in this area.

38.  Meeting with Senior Executives of Google including Larry Alder – Product Manager, James Kelly Systems Product Manager; Matthew Bye – Competition Counsel, Nicklas Lundblad – Head of Public Policy.  Google are deeply aware of and interested in the NBN roll out in Tasmania.  They currently have a corporate strategy to create a number of U.S. smart towns similar to the roll outs in Midway Point, Smithton and Scottsdale.
Opportunity to follow up:  Major opportunity to engage Google in a sharing partnership on the roll out and application of NBN.  Google executives to potentially visit Tasmania in the coming months.

39.  Host a Reception for 20-30 Silicon Valley start-ups, company executives and industry bodies including Spikesource, Juniper Networks, Cloudshield, Ambature, Stridus and many more.
Opportunity to follow up:  Follow up each company through Consulate for partnering opportunities with Tasmania – particularly in smart grid technology and applications development.
TRAVEL - SAN FRANCISCO TO TASMANIA

David Bartlett, MP

Premier

Thursday, 12 August 2010

Launching Tasmania's Economic Future

The Tasmanian Premier, David Bartlett, today joined the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, in officially launching the most significant piece of economic and social infrastructure seen in Tasmania for several decades.

Mr Bartlett and Ms Gillard “flicked the switch” on the National Broadband Network in Midway Point, ushering in a new era of economic advantages and opportunities for the state.

“As Premier, I feel unbelievably proud and privileged to stand alongside the Prime Minister on this momentous day for Tasmania,” Mr Bartlett said.

“It’s a day I’ve waited for with passion and anticipation, ever since we secured Tasmania’s advantage as the frontier-state of the NBN roll-out 16 months ago.   

“Tasmania will become the most connected place on the planet by 2014, thanks to this historic and visionary project.

“This optic fibre roll-out is the platform for Tasmania to grow and prosper in the new digital economy.

“It’s the global advantage we need to break from the tyranny of distance an isolation, and build a vibrant, futuristic economy, based on the key values of innovation and sustainability.

“It’s the platform for new pioneering jobs, and new technologies in health, education and industry - many of which are yet to be conceived of.

“For the first time in more than three decades, we are on the cusp of having an economic direction that each and every Tasmanian can support, and feel proud of.

“That’s an economy based largely on our unique strengths in innovative agri-business, sustainable industry and development, renewable energy, and of course state-of-the-art telecommunications via this historic roll-out.

“Today is about much more than just high-speed broadband. It’s about one of the first opportunities to unite Tasmanians behind that vision, and that bright, prosperous future,” Mr Bartlett said.

Mr Bartlett also paid tribute to the other two Tasmanian “smart towns” leading the NBN roll-out – Scottsdale and Smithton.

“I visited Smithton earlier this week, and met young, excited school students whose opportunities for learning and sharing and discovering have reached incredible new heights in recent days, and can only grow further,” Mr Bartlett said.  

“Having just returned from overseas, I also know the eyes of the world are on Tasmania and this remarkable achievement.

“Some of the world’s most innovative and ground-breaking companies are already looking to our shores, because they can see our unique potential as a test-bed for their ideas, and a strong, secure place for investment.  

“That’s why the National Broadband Network is so crucial, and why we can’t afford to see it abandoned and destroyed by Tony Abbott and the Liberals.

“In good faith, and the spirit of co-operative politics, I again implore Will Hodgman and the Tasmanian Liberals to stand up to Tony Abbott, for the sake of Tasmanians’ jobs, health, education, and future prosperity.

“If they continue to accept Mr Abbott’s hollow, phony, broadband alternative, they’re helping condemn Tasmania to the technological dark ages, while the rest of the world speeds ahead.      

“A vote for Labor at this Federal election has rarely, if ever, been more important for Tasmanian jobs, and Tasmania’s future,” he said.