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Hello everyone.
I'm really pleased to be here
as part of the launch - albeit by recording -
of the Australian and New Zealand Best Practise Awards.
It's a terrific initiative and occuring during a week
when there is lots going on in relation to the Internet.
I particularly want to mention ICANN who I know are meeting at this time.
It's an incredibly important organisation
that looks at all of the issues confronting the domain name system
right around the world,
and I acknowledge the work particularly of a number of Australians.
Formally a very active member here
in the National Office of Information Economy, Dr Paul Twomey
and his role now with ICANN.
I'd also like to acknowledge Chris DeSpain and his work.
The Internet still remains at the forefront of
many Govenrment initiatives and many business initiatives.
It's driving new economies right around the world,
and it sits at the heart I think of many of the economic recovery strategies
that governments now are very focused on
as we're in the grip of the global financial crisis.
So I'd like to commend the work of all of you,
that you're doing to promote the role that the Internet plays
and the care we have to take in administering the Internet around the world.
In Australia with the advent of a sensational new policy
if I may say so by the Labor Government -
the National Broadband Network -
how we use the Internet as a society is once again
at the forefront of political and public discussion.
For my part as a Government Senator I'm busy innovating myself,
using my new Public Sphere environment to promote debate and participation
in developing policy ideas, using the online space.
And just earlier this week
one of the things that we're investing our time in
is the whole idea of government online
and what we do with Web 2.0 and the social networking services
that are going to be available to
citizens and agencies and departments in the 21st century.
Open Government and how we use social networking tools
I think will define what it is to be an active citizen of the future.
And for governments, particularly the Commonwealth of Australia,
Web 2.0 tools will define what it is to be a citizen-centric government.
And I commend to you your thoughts and considerations
about those levels of participation
and how they grow with the National Broadband Network
delivering 100MB per second to 90% of the population.
It's an exciting time.
Good luck with your deliberations.
I think to recognise best practice in relation to the Internet
is a fantastic initiative and I congratulate you on this event
and I'm very pleased to participate in the formal awards.
Thank you very much.