Blog

Australian IT JOBS : Sydney IT jobs, UNIX jobs, Linux jobs, Java jobs, ASP jobs Linux.conf.au Linux.conf.au
Technology news and Jobs arrow Cornered! arrow That's rich, Coonan panning OECD broadband stats
That's rich, Coonan panning OECD broadband stats PDF Print E-mail
Written by Stuart Corner   
Monday, 21 May 2007
Communications minister, Helen Coonan has criticised reliance on the OECD broadband stats, but has been perfectly happy to rely, without question, on these same OECD figures when they suited her purpose.

The minister has issued a press release calling for improved reporting on broadband statistics and committing Australia to work with the OECD to achieve these.

"People refer to the OECD reports as if they are handed down on tablets of stone, and then use them to represent a distorted picture of Australia's broadband performance" she said. "I have concerns about the methodology adopted by the OECD and question the weight given to any one single indicator of broadband performance."

However in a press release last year commenting on the OECD's broadband stats for June 2006, she said: "It is clear that the number of broadband subscribers in Australia is now well above the OECD average and we may be ranked as high as second in the OECD in terms of the growth broadband take-up. On any read we are certainly in the top five for the second consecutive year. This is an extraordinary achievement for Australia."

Coonan new found doubts about the OECD are the latest twist in a saga that has embarrassed her and a number of other parties. Earlier this month Australian market research firm, Market Clarity published a lengthy and detailed attempt to emulate the OECD reporting by going back to source data from OECD member countries. Market Clarity's analysis  ranked Australia considerably higher than the OECD and Market Clarity was highly critical of the OECD methodology claiming it had significant errors.

Coonan immediately seized on the report and issued a press release attacking Labor which had used the OECD figures to support its claims about the poor state of broadband in Australia.

 
< Prev   Next >
Cornered! - Telecoms blog
Cornered! is a blog on all things tele-communication from the perspective of one who has observed, analysed commented and reported on the industry since the dark ages (BC - before competition).

Cornered! posts

Contact , Register , Advertise with iTWire , Links , Register , About iTWire , Feedback , Post your jobs , Events , iTWire site map , Start Blogging
Industry Releases , Submit your release now , Start submitting to iTWire , How to post video