[Linux-aus] FTA cross-industry press conference

[Pia Smith]

Hi all,

Just a quick note from your friendly Linux Australia type person :)

Due to recent talks between Linux Australia and several other industry
representatives, we are lucky enough to now be involved in a
cross-industry press conference this Wednesday. It will be at 11am, in
the Jubilee room at Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney. We have reps
from IT, the Health as well as the Media indsutries with many concerns
to be expressed, including common areas of concern such as IP.

The scary thing is that some of these groups have been involved with the
FTA discussion for 2 years, they were at the drawing table and still
received the sharp end of the stick. We are at a significant
disadvantage because they _are_ the peak bodies of their industries,
whereas in IT, Australian focused organisations like us are expressing
concerns, and some of the bigger IT organisations have a lot of foreign
companies on the board, of whom don't have to worry about the changes so
much and so are embracing the FTA. It has been amusing to watch some of
the orgs put out statements supporting the FTA and then withdraw their
comments upon research ;) Anyway, our politicians are getting mixed
messages from us which is frustrating.

I hope that anyone concerned with this stuff has sent letters, or at
least called their local members. They can't protect you from that which
they don't understand.

I'm not sure how public the press conference should be, it isn't being
organised by us, however some support there would certainly be helpful
:)

Cheers all,
Pia
-- 
Pia Smith
President of Linux Australia
pia at linux.org.au