*The Integrated Newsroom - Australia CIT Climate*

3.2 Early beginnings of the Internet in Australia

In the mid-70s, few Australians made connections to the Internet through a dial-up service offered by the then Australian Overseas Telecommunications Commission (OTC). Just like ARPANET in America, Australia's Internet beginnings can be traced to the academic and research field. The Australian Computer Science network (ACSnet) was the first local network of networks. For its interstate links, ACSnet relied on CSIROnet, a commercial service, before it was gradually converted into a closed 'value-added network' (VAN). Following the release of the 'Carrs Report' in 1987 - 1988, the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee (AVCC) provided pool funding to establish a network providing data, voice and fax services coinciding with the NASA-sponsored University of Hawaii programme to extend the research Internet to the Pacific Rim. This scheme was referred to as the Australian Academic & Research Network (AARnet). However it was only in 1990, that AARnet was expanded into every Australian University and CSIRO (Clarke R. 1998).

With the arrival of Mosaic, various gopher systems and the World Wide Web in 1991, AARnet became attractive to individuals external of the research and teaching community and in 1992, saw the introduction of Australia's first Internet Service Provider, connect.com.au Pty Ltd. By 1994, the demand for Internet access had burgeoned, and AARNet's access was opened to ISPs under a volume (per-Mbyte) charging scheme. On 30 June 1995, the AVCC transferred its commercial customers and the management of Interstate and international links to Telstra, which acquired the entire Internet infrastructure. Between 1995 - 1997, a competitive market developed with both Telstra and Optus providing backbone services and several other large ISPs began providing multiple overseas connections (ibid).

Finn (1999) provides an insightful and extensive look at the Internet's history and its development in Australia. As of 30 September 1998, there were 25 licensed carriers (network owners operating in Australia), an increase of 22 since deregulation of the carrier market from July 1997. During that time, there were 378 service providers, of which 296 were ISPs. (Australia Bureau of Statistics). The following figures demonstrate Australia's rapid take up of Internet access:

In April 1998, there more than 15000 leased line connections to the Internet for access by commercial enterprises (excluding ISPs).
In June 1998, there were approximately 650 Internet service and access providers (ISPs and IAPs)
There are approximately 35,000 registered domain names in Australia, with well over 50,000 individual websites. This is growing at the rate of approximately 70 a day.
Currently 1,000 companies can be classified as 'web developers' in Australia.

(Department of Industry, Science and Tourism Online 1998)

The push to develop Australia as an information economy has resulted in a number of exciting innovative methods to create a conducive multimedia and new technologies environment throughout Australia, but for the purpose of this dissertation, Melbourne is examined closely. This next section looks at some leading and significant initiatives from key private companies, educational institutions and the Victorian government.

Multimedia Victoria

Multimedia Victoria (MMV) was established in May 1996, as part of the Victorian government's information technology and multimedia policy, Global Victoria. It aims to establish Victoria as a global centre of information technology and communications excellence. Global Victoria, is a direct result of Victoria 21, an overall framework spearheading the government's I.T. strategy which has attracted more than A$2 billion worth of technological investment to Victorian states and created an additional 10,000 jobs. A Task Force on Communications and Multimedia (http://www.taskforce.mmv.vic.gov.au) provides a channel for specific industry contribution to Victoria 21's strategy development and is an important contribution source to information and knowledge for the government. Government Online, a key Multimedia Victoria initiative is responsible for setting 'whole of government' IT&T standards and protocols and for overseeing its vision to develop online services (Overview of Multimedia Victoria - http://www.mmv.vic.gov.au).

Former Premier Jeff Kennett stamped his support for technology when he said, "This government is prepared to show leadership in using the power of communications technology and multimedia to transform the way it delivers its services and communicates with the public" (Victorian Government Online 1999). Other key initiatives that complement Government Online include:

Business Channel (http://www.business.channel.vic.gov.au), an entry point for assistance on all aspects of running a business and dealing with the government.

Land Channel (http://www.land.vic.gov.au), a resource site dealing with property and land information providing tips on subjects as wide-ranging as buying, selling or developing property, conservation and heritage issues, and agricultural resource information.

Better Health Channel (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au), provides instant access to the latest information on health conditions, services and events and is navigable in various languages and accommodates the visually impaired.

Other proposed web sites with a similar focus will cover the areas of Tourism, Transport and Education will be developed.

EMERGE Cooperative Multimedia Centre

MMV significantly supports the EMERGE Cooperative Multimedia Centre (CMC) both in terms of operational funding and project collaboration. EMERGE is one of the six Australia-wide CMC's established in 1995 as part of the Federal Government's Creative Nation multimedia initiative initiated to contribute to the growth and development of the Internet and multimedia industry. It designs, builds, manages and provides expertise through its three vertical portals, Med-E-Serv (a health professionals online community), PDAccess (a professional development service) and min. The multimedia Internet network (min.), an EMERGE's brainchild is an online community for Internet professionals to exchange ideas, get advice and access research and tools needed to run and expand an Internet business. min. actively organises multimedia workshops, circulates information on global trends and events in the Internet and multimedia industries and targets to promote electronic commerce (http://www.min.com.au and http://www.min.gov.au).

Melbourne IT

Melbourne University's Melbourne IT, develops strategic industry partnerships to utilise the university's IT&T and multimedia R&D expertise. It has established an I.T. Incubator Centre for Electronic Commerce providing advanced computing and communication facilities support to modest yet talented start-ups with the potential to win business and become commercially self-sufficient. In 1999, Melbourne IT expanded its Incubator Centre to accommodate approximately 50 start-up companies and strategically chosen anchor tenants. A number of Melbourne IT start-ups; Active Concepts, Solid Software, Cendis and Blue Tongue developed a range of successful innovative business solutions in 1998 (http://www.melbourneit.com.au).

Active Concepts is a provider of Internet analysis and Web auditing solutions for businesses, eCommerce and the education markets. Solid Software is a 'concept-to-product' software publisher inventing and developing innovative software products. Cendis is an out-of-the-box application for managing data generated by project teams and Blue Tongue Online provides value added Internet/Intranet business solutions for its customers (ibid).

Telstra's Global Operation Centre and eLaunceston

Telstra's Global Operations Centre, a A$35 million dollar development, is an example of a telecommunications company responding to and leading the information revolution with a next generation communications system. The Centre has one of the world's largest digital videowalls capable of monitoring its entire network and managing customer traffic flow across Australia from a single location. Gerry Moriarity, Telstra's Network & Technology Group Managing Director, said,

The Centre will not only help us monitor national, international, terrestrial and satellite networks, but it will provide a unique opportunity for the integration of future technologies - such as those using Internet Protocol (IP) on our new Data Mode of Operation (DMO) next generation infrastructureÉ. (the Centre) will be capable of integrating new products and emergent technologies to match the fast pace of product and technology development.

(http://newsroom.telstra.com.au 1999)

Telstra's Research Laboratories have recognised the need for community involvement to boost Internet usage and are currently studying the social and technical trends of 200 households and 25 small businesses in Launceston, a Tasmanian city. eLaunceston (http://www.elaunceston.com) is a regional portal, providing locals with access to a variety of community information, hyperlinks and resources from a single web site. The three-year research venture will eventually shape Telstra's future Internet plans and build the next generation Internet landscape. The site will offer free e-mail, live chat, discussion boards, basic homepage templates for members and community information ranging from an events calendar, local news and sports headlines, to daily weather forecasts and search engine facilities. Telstra's move is similar to the 'portal' strategy news organisations are experimenting with in an attempt to attract an online audience.

Christopher Rowles, General Manager, Online Media Telstra Research Laboratories, explained, "This trial will give Telstra ground-breaking information about people's Internet habits É as we start to shape the next generation of the Internet landscape over the next few years. É this project will give us an opportunity to specifically test whether localised content and applications will motivate increased Internet usage, as well as learning more about other factors that influence Internet take-up rate" (ibid).

Ballarat Technology Park & the Greenhill Enterprise Centre

Ballarat, a former goldmining town, is now a key regional centre in Victoria, which is rapidly developing a national reputation as forerunner in information technology. The University of Ballarat has a strong I.T. focus leading the city of 90,000 people with a number of initiatives including the Centre for Electronic Communications, Ballarat Online, and a Chamber of Electronic Commerce for Western Victoria. Vice-Chancellor David James said, "There is a prediction that 70 per cent of today's ten year olds will perform jobs that do not yet exist, using technology that has not yet been invented" (Regional IT and Communications Conference, 3 September 1999).

Through its Technology Park, the University plans to promote high technology products and services, form closer industry links and lead the City's I.T. direction. One of its earliest tenants IBM, provides scholarships and jobs to Ballarat University students while the University in exchange conducts short courses for IBM staff. A Greenhill Enterprise Centre success story (its business incubator), is Oztrak, which developed the Telematic Starter Kit. The device connects a user's mobile phone with emergency services, road information and links with the Global Positioning System (GPS) infrastructure, allowing an operator to locate a motorist's precise position and dispatch assistance to its exact location in case of breakdowns or an accident (Enterprise Connections, July 1999 p.6 - 7).