Government must commit to a "full and frank" debate on the law enforcement merits of its universal data retention plans or risk an Australia Card-like backlash from a mistrustful public, the Internet Industry Association has warned.

With the Australian Government now in 'caretaker' mode ahead of the August 21 poll, the shutters have come down on hundreds of federal technology projects and the high pressure hose of Commonwealth IT procurement dollars has slowed to a trickle.

The National Broadband Network is the biggest industry development program ever undertaken in this country. Let's hope it works, because it's a huge chunk of change to throw at faster movie downloads.

Industry development policy for the tech sector seems to make a pilgrimage into the sunlight once every three years in a carefully choreographed dance with the electoral cycle.

For the tech industry, the 2010 election presents a crossroads, where the policy differences being presented to voters by the two major parties are stark.

The Federal Government has taken a further step toward adopting a more open and collaborative culture based on Web 2.0-style tools, with Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner issuing a Declaration of Open Government on behalf the Commonwealth that serves as a blueprint for ongoing Gov 2.0 development.

There is nothing the Government said in its announced review of the Refused Classification category of the National Classification Scheme that makes its plan for a mandatory ISP level internet filter any less likely, should it win the election.

The Australian Computer Society wants an end to 'ageism' in the workplace and wants a better deal for older technology workers and has called on the Federal Government to work with the Human Rights Commission to help change the attitudes to age among local employers.

Technology services outfit Fujitsu has won a three year contract worth more than $150 million with the Department of Defence to support 90,000 desktop computers located around Australia.

The NBN Company is conducting an analysis of the local jobs market to identify where skills gaps exist in Australia and is talking to local training institutions about how best to find the 15,000 to 25,000 workers it will need to build the National Broadband Network.