Will Gillard replace Stephen Conroy with Kate Lundy?

[depakid]

Speculation was rife this morning (or evening, over in Australia) that controversial Communications Minister and architect of Australia’s great firewall project, Stephen Conroy may shortly be for the chop. In his place, it is suggested, Australia’s new PM Julia Gillard might prefer the more conciliatory – and also better-informed - approach of Senator Kate Lundy.

If so, this is likely to prove a victory for those opposed to Conroy’s hard line on internet censorship, as Ms Lundy has made it clear over the last few months that she prefers to win support from Australia’s voters for an opt-in filter – instead of imposing a mandatory filter from the centre, which is the hardline stance favoured by the present Communications Minister.

Support for Lundy comes from within industry and politics alike. Reports in ITWire and APCMag suggest Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) chair Colin Jacobs would definitely prefer Lundy, claiming she understands the technology industry better than Conroy and has good relationships in the sector.

He is reported as saying: "The filter has dominated and totally tarnished Conroy’s reputation when it comes to these issues." A rather more forthright view is expressed by Internode engineer Mark Newton who said: "Conroy is a laughing stock in the IT world. "You could put a pot plant in the ministry and get a better response."

A key difference between Lundy and Conroy appears to lie in their respective personal styles. Lundy is seen as being "more nuanced" and more consultative than Conroy. She also seemed more prepared to work within the parliamentary committee structure and to listen to different points of view. In contrast, Conroy’s personal demeanour has not made him popular. He is known for his "tough parliamentary style", which may well have proven an asset in negotiations on the National Broadband Network.

This is one of the biggest tasks currently in the Communications Portfolio, and how well or badly the Communications Minister performs in this area will have major implications for future government spending as well as Australia’s communications infrastructure over the next decades.

While speculation at a time of political turmoil may be inevitable, more cynical analysis suggests that Conroy may yet be saved. According to Jacobs, the push to replace Rudd with Gillard came from the Australian Labor Party’s right faction – a bloc which also boasts Conroy as a member. In his view, it would have to take some “pretty crazy” moves to see him losing his portfolio.

Nonetheless, there was general agreement by both interviewees that the communications brief has been handled badly. According to Newton: "I don’t think Australia has ever in its history had a successful communications minister."

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/24/conroy_out/