FC: Australian government orders ISPs to answer questions -- or else

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

********
Dennis Morgan (in email below) sent me a form that I've placed online:
http://www.politechbot.com/docs/australia-isp.0800.pdf

Also noteworthy, in addition to the government-competition issue:
* The Australian government legally requires ISPs to answer the questions 
in the survey.
* The results of the survey are, per pdf file, used by analysts in the 
public and private sectors.
* The questions are pretty detailed, and include MB transfered per month, 
number of subscribers, revenues from subscribers.
* If an ISP has multiple dialup pools, that info is required for each, 
something that could require a lot of work on the part of some hapless 
engineers.

-Declan

********

From: "Dennis Morgan" <dennis () morgan net au>
To: <declan () well com>
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2000 02:01:58 +1000

What do think of This for privacy, bearing in mind that Telstra ISP (still
half government owned) is every other australian ISP's competitor,

          .............................................
          Best Regards,  Dennis Morgan

            www.morgan.net.au

      Support 9661-6298   -   Fax 9311-4863
     .........................................................



    Commonwealth Government Statistical Clearing House Approval Number:
00473-01
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|The Technical Manager                  |
|Morgan Service                         |
|Dennis Morgan                          |
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I wish to contact you regarding regarding the Australian Bureau of
Statistics
Internet Activty Survey. A survey form was sent to you with a due date of 14
July  2000. As yet we have not received your form.

It is now a matter of urgency that you complete the form and return it to
us.

If you have lost or misplaced your form, below this message is another copy
in
the form of a PDF file.

I would appreciate you completing this form and returning it by post as soon
as
possible, but no later than 18 August 2000. If exact figures are not
available,
careful estimates are acceptable. Our address is:

REPLY PAID 9817
Deputy Commonwealth Statistician
G P O Box 9817
BRISBANE   QLD   4001

So that we can identify your form, would you please attach this email to the
front of the form when you post it in. I would advise you that data should
not
be emailed to us as we cannot guarantee security of data over the internet.

Your participation in the survey is important to assist the Australian
Bureau of
Statistics in its role of encouraging informed decision making within
governments and the community by provide reliable and timely statistical
information.

I remind you that this is an ongoing quarterly survey of all Internet
Service
Providers and I should point out that the Internet Activity Survey is
conducted
under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905 which provides the
Statistician with the power, if needed, to direct you to supply the
information
sought.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries on

     Telephone:           1800  136  387  (freecall) or (07) 3222 6335
(Brisbane
area only)
                         or
     Facsimile:          (07) 3222 6284



Regards
Anne Webber
Internet Activity Survey
Internet Activity Survey form in PDF format ......................(See
attached
file: JuneQtrForm.pdf)