With Victoria’s election campaign in full swing, the ICT policies of both the State Government and Opposition are in the spotlight. While technology can’t expect the starring role it achieved in the Federal election, courtesy of the National Broadband Network, ICT won’t be just a bit player in the State campaign.

With the announcement this week of the Gillard Cabinet and Tony Abbott's shadow ministry, we now know who the players are in what will be a hard-fought battle over the National Broadband Network implementation. But we have still to learn how the game will be played.

The Federal Government will push to get its stalled telecommunications reform bill passed this year, and says the Opposition will be held to account for any delays and cost escalations for the National Broadband Network if the legislation is held up.

Rolling the National Broadband Network in from the regions rather than building out from city areas will require much more upfront capital from Government, driving up the cost of the network, freshly-minted Coalition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull says.

Former Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull has returned to the Coalition front bench as shadow communications minister with instructions "to hold the Government ferociously to account" over the National Broadband Network.

In a major boost for the sector, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard has signalled a hands-on role for herself in fostering "digital productivity," and appointed Stephen Conroy and Kate Lundy to assist her in the role.

In all the speculation about the likely make-up of the Gillard Cabinet, there is one sure thing: Stephen Conroy will retain the Communications portfolio. And that's a good thing for the sector, which will no doubt welcome the continuity.

Whatever other complications minority government might create, in communications policy there is a clear path forward, according to Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants much more detail on the cost of the National Broadband Network roll-out, and expects that the political reality of the Gillard Government's razor-thin majority will ensure that detail is forthcoming.

New South Wales rural independent MP Rob Oakeshott rained on his own parade in delivering Government to Labor this afternoon, emphatically telling the Prime Minister that "no-one has a mandate" in the next Parliament.