Red flag to hackers
Australian politicians and media waved a red flag at a bull for Census Night.
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Flogging the assertion that our systems have never been hacked merely encouraged hackers to show their acumen and embarrass the government. They succeeded.
Now, the government, public, and media are pursuing a "witch hunt" (many media references), after which "heads will roll" (Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and many parliamentarians).
While IBM and ABS own responsibility for providing the system, the government owns funding it and ensuring all requirements are met. The first flies in the face of "productivity dividends" which expect Rolls Royce solutions for Corolla prices.
The second results from the government maintaining insufficient internal IT systems expertise to oversee its own IT departments and contracts.
I doubt whether parliamentarian decision makers will lose their heads for insufficient funding, inappropriate monitoring, and wrongly unanticipated system needs.
Why was Census Minister Michael McCormack's office informed of the outage only at 8.10pm? Why was he not part of "all hands on deck" actively monitoring this seminal event, versus returning to Parliament House only after at least four Denial of Service events, after several periods of system outages, after contact with ASD?
Pointing fingers and assigning blame before any investigation begins - "This has been a failure of the ABS." (PM Turnbull) and "one of the biggest shambles in government" (Opposition Leader Bill Shorten) - is a certain way for those with significant information to dive for cover.
Then, we'll never know.
Judy Bamberger,
O'Connor ACT
Thanks for your work, Kim
We would like to thank Kim from the Junee Library for the work she has done for us the South West Slopes Vietnam Veterans.
Kim has organised a Vietnam Veterans display in the Junee Library. Kim went out of her way to get information and to place photographs and information on the wall.
The display is photos of Vietnam Veterans from around this area and are from Vietnam and Australia.
Included in this display are items from the Junee Mudlarks Pottery and Woodburning, which is supported by the Vietnam Veterans.
The Junee Mudlarks Pottery and Woodburning hold stalls at local markets and sell there wares to get money to buy more clay and wood etc for the group to keep operating and give the locals something to do, the group was started as a therapy for the men suffering mostly from PTSD.
The Junee Mudlarks meet at 3 Thomas Street, Junee, every Wednesday and Friday and if you would like to come please phone Barbara on (02) 6924 1924.
Barbara Curtis
Secretary/Treasurer
South West Slopes Vietnam Veterans
No religion on top?
One of the changes made to the 2016 Census is a deeply worrying one for all conservative Christian Australians.
In the question, "What is Your Religion?", “no religion” will be on top, moved from its usual place at the bottom. Why?
"No Religion" equates to atheist or agnostic – no belief in a God.
Like in elections, many people will tick the top selection, similar to a donkey vote, not realising its importance.
Where is the word “Christian”? It does not appear, even though many of us would consider ourselves as such.
I do not affiliate with any church, but call myself a Christian. I certainly will not mark “No Religion”. I would like to ask the government, and ABS, "Why the change, and why no Christian?"
In the light of what is happening in Australia , and the world today, I am deeply concerned.