Papers & Presentations
Telecommunication and Information Technology - A Tyrant or Tool
Tom Lindsey, Chairman, Greater Green Triangle Region Association
Introduction
Regions of the 21st Century will be characterised as either information rich or information poor. Information rich communities will have the infrastructure and tools to enable them to engage in a globalised environment characterised by the information age. Information poor regions and communities will find themselves in at time warp with reducing capacity to undertake regional revival.
The Greater Green Triangle Region Association (GGTRA) covers Southeast South Australia, South West Victoria and the Wimmera region of Victoria. It has taken a holistic approach to telecommunications as a fundamental foundation block to region economic development and region community development. The GGTRA project, funded to stage two of a five stage project focuses on a number of different streams including:
Demand aggregation
This involves bulking up data and voice telephony into a marketable product which through a bulk purchasing capacity results in:
- Increased competition in telecommunications within the region.
- Reduced costs.
- * Improved services.
- Sustainable income streams back to the region for training, awareness raising and skills development.
Community learning centres and multimedia centres.
These centres provide the basic infrastructure within local communities within the region for:
- Access to the Internet
- Training and skills development
- Access to more sophisticated on-line activities
These centres are to be community owned and operated with the actual scope of operation to be defined by the communities in which the centres are located. Over three years it is anticipated there will be between 40 - 60 centres established across the region.
E-Commerce Program
Initially this will focus on supply chain management within a specified industry sector. Over a number of years it will involve development of supply chain and business to business transaction capacity and electronic trading and marketing. The program will focus on dealing with the inhibitors to adoption of e-commerce within businesses, between businesses and business and customers.
Training and Awareness Raising
This is to be achieved through media campaigns, forums, focus groups and eventually supported by revenue streams developed through the demand aggregation program.
The project is aimed at both business and economic outcomes and community outcomes and engagement through an integrated package of infrastructure development, skills development, implementation of specific project and development of income streams to support ongoing activities.
Conclusion
Telecommunication and information technology can be a catalyst for regional cohesion and region action. Conversely, it can become divisive and create a technology gap which in the end will inhibit the capacity of regions to operate within a global environment and of communities to sustain them selves in the age of information.
About...
Tom is the current chairman of the Greater Green Triangle Region Association (GGTRA). The Association was formed on 1 December 1994, initially funded under the Federal Government Regional Development Program and now funded by Local Government. The association initially focused on infrastructure development. It is now pursing strategic regional initiatives including:
- Telecommunications
- Export Networks
- China Links Project
- Post Secondary Education and Training
- Farm Forestry
- Regional Advocacy and Leadership
Tom is Director of Economic Development at Warrnambool City Council. He commenced his position in June 1995.
He is involved in a number of regional partnerships including GGTRA and South West Victoria Sustainability Partnership involving 15 key stakeholders and institutions in South West Victoria which have adopted sustainable development as the foundation blocks for the South West region moving into the 21st century. He Chairs the GTT Post Secondary Education and Training Consortium and convenes the South West Economic Development Practitioners Group.
He is a member of the Victorian Government Advisory Committee on Regional Telecommunications and a member of the South West Rural and Regional Forum.