New website and online tools make staying informed easy
SYDNEY, 14 September 2007 – Staying informed about Australian politics is easy thanks to a new webpage and tools launched by Google today. For the first time Australian voters can have an intimate look at parties, candidates and election issues at one location, 24 hours a day. The site is a world-first for Google and was developed here in Australia. Google Australia’s Federal election site is at www.google.com.au/election2007.
Launched in Google’s Sydney offices with the help of Federal Minister Joe Hockey and Federal Labor’s environment spokesperson Peter Garrett, the site contains a number of innovative online tools, developed by Google’s Australian engineers.
Google Australia’s Head of Engineering, Alan Noble, said the site showed how the internet could play a substantive role in providing information and encouraging debate.
"New technologies allow a conversation with voters which has never been possible before." Noble said. "The internet is deepening political debate and engagement. This site is the convergence of democracy and the Internet. It enables Australian voters to research detailed political information and share their views whenever they want."
The Minister for Workplace Relations, Joe Hockey, said Google’s site will be an important tool for voters wanting to learn more about the policies of the Government. "We all need to be more aware of online campaigning and the impact it will have on this election. The Government has embraced online sites like YouTube as a way of connecting with voters and detailing our policies", Minister Hockey said.
Peter Garrett, Labor’s environment spokesperson, also acknowledged that the web is now the number one way of getting information for many people. "The Labor Party has a big online presence and a YouTube channel because we see it as a way to talk about our policies, to get out there and let people know what we stand for," Peter Garrett said.
The launch also featured video messages of support from the Prime Minister and Leader of the Federal Opposition, Kevin Rudd.
Google is hosting a lunch for Federal MPs on 18 September 2007 to discuss the growing role of the Internet in politics and to showcase how Google’s Australian tools can be used in the upcoming election.
Google’s products are commonly used by voters and candidates in elections throughout the world. However the Australian Federal election is the first time in the world that Google has created an election site of this scope.
The page contains the following features:
Google’s site features special Federal Election information viewable in Google Maps that will give users information about electorate boundaries, sitting members, candidates and margins. Using Google Maps’ easy-to-use interface, users will be able to zoom and pan, and see satellite imagery and road maps of all 150 Federal seats.
Electorate boundaries and seat names will also be visible in a layer in Google Earth.
"We continue to believe that Google Maps and Google Earth can serve as the ultimate tools for organising and sharing geo-based information," Google’s Head of Engineering Alan Noble said.
All six political parties that are represented in Federal Parliament (Australian Democrats, Family First, Greens, Labor, Liberal and Nationals) have established their own dedicated YouTube channels. Google’s site contains links to these channels and a "gadget" that enables users to watch the parties’ latest videos on their iGoogle homepage.
Google Australia has also established its own election channel on YouTube, entitled "Australia Votes", which will feature election content and be a forum for discussing Australian politics and the election. It is located at www.youtube.com/australiavotes.
Google has developed four exciting gadgets that will make a wealth of Australian political information just a click away:
For further information, see www.google.com.au/election2007 and www.youtube.com/australiavotes. Screenshots are available at picasaweb.google.com/auelection.
Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.
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Rob Shilkin
+61 2 9374 4091
Labels: Australia new announcements
