

Australian Minister for Broadband resigns - discordance
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/06/stephen-conroy-resigns-as-kevin-rudd-wins-leadership-ballot/

======
beedogs
To be fair he's _only_ resigning because we just replaced our Prime Minister,
again.

Amazingly, Turnbull, the opposition's communications minister, is even worse.

~~~
chris_wot
Hardly. Turnbull, frankly, has been shafted by Abbott and fairly forced into
promoting Abbott's ridiculous broadband policy.

In their launch, Turnbull looked quite sheepish the entire time. Turnbull
should be the opposition leader, not the Communications Minister, but that's
for another debate.

~~~
jacques_chester
Turnbull was done in by his own flaws. He has a short temper and has let hope
to overwhelm experience -- as it did during the Godwin Grech affair.

------
schappim
Thank god! One really shouldn't be the Minister for broadband if you don't
send and read your own email...

BTW he was also the guy who wanted to:

* censor Australia's internet with a filter * limit the freedom of the press

------
Nursie
Excellent.

That guy shouldn't be in charge of a kindle, let alone the communications and
internet strategy of a modern nation.

~~~
brotchie
I met with him recently and chatted one-on-one for an hour about Australia's
broadband policy. I was very impressed by his technical knowledge as well as
the manner in which he communicated it.

He spends a lot of time on Whirlpool (Australian broadband forums) and
interacts with the community. I feel a sorry regarding how the media is almost
universally anti-NBN (National Broadband Network). The current uptake rates
for the NBN are impressive: hockey stick, yet the media go on about asbestos
or whatever gets more views / clicks.

On the Labor side of politics I don't think there's anybody that could
continue championing the NBN like he has.

~~~
coopdog
He's pro filtering and censorship, a very dangerous and unpopular policy. To
the point where he's willing to go against 90% of the population either
because he wants to force his point of view on people or is willing to pander
to an incredibly opinionated minority for votes.

No matter what else you do, that characteristic doesn't belong in a
representative democracy.

The opposition leader (Abbott) is worse on the matter - see RU486, but two
wrongs don't make a right, and it's a great thing that he's gone.

------
chris_wot
Not for the reason most people think. He was a key Gillard backer, and was
vocal against Kevin Rudd. Gillard is gone and Rudd is now back in power
tonight. Conroy's position was untenable. Good riddance.

------
morgo
For context, here is Stephen Conroy talking about spams and scams coming
through the portal:
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gl7X6peh-w](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gl7X6peh-w)

~~~
_mgr
He sounds like every CIO I've ever heard.

~~~
morgo
:)

