In the 1995 Australia Day Message the Governor-General asked all Australians to consider the social equity issues of the InfoBahn (a copy of the speech was distributed on the Internet by the ACS, with the permission of Government House). These issues were detailed in the ACS's submission to the Government on the InfoBahn: "Vision for a Networked Nation".
While the people of other nations wait for their Government to lead, Australians get on and do it themselves. In this spirit fits well with the organised anarchy of the Internet.
To harness this spirit Australia This Minute (ATM) is a project for a community based on-line Internet multimedia guide to Australian culture.
Many people now have the ability to publish multimedia on the Interent, using the World Wide Web. Its not difficult and its fun (see http://www.tomw.net.au/). You are invited to offer to publish details of local cultural community organisations and events. Publish your town or suburb history, the details of your sporting club or community group.
Details of local projects can be cross referenced by location and topic to the ATM home page. Sensitive maps will be added later.
Australia on CD Program
The Government is providing funding over two years for the production
of interactive CD-ROMs on significant cultural themes.
The CD-ROM will be made available to all primary and
secondary schools throughout Australia and our
overseas missions. This is to showcase, the quality,
richness, creativity, and diversity of our culture. See the
Australia on CD Program home page for more details.
General information about the various Commonwealth Government
multimedia programs are also
available.
There is a danger that this project will concentrate on "big culture" and will not involve or reflect ordinary Australian life. In addition only a small slice of Australian culture will fit on ten CD-ROMS, and once pressed the CD-ROMS cannot be changed.
ATM will be much larger than will fit on a set of CDs and will be constantly being updated. However I hope that those preparing "Australian on CD" can then take a snapshot of ATM. The CDs can then represent a small sample, of a moment in time of our culture.