[AusNOG] CA Data Retention costs letter to Ministers

[Ross Wheeler]

On Wed, 18 Mar 2015, Noel Butler wrote:

> Exactly! The big players have dictated to this industry for too long.

One of the problems is that us "small" operators don't have a cast of 
thousands, our own legal department and virtually unlimited resources.

We're all pretty much head-down-bum-up running our business. We don't want 
intervention or red tape, we don't have resources to handle it, hell... we 
don't really even talk to others in our industry (with a few exceptions).

We have no cohesive, collective, co-ordinated representation. Largely, we 
don't WANT one, don't have time for one, don't have (or don't want to 
spend) the money to support one, and so we remain (after 20 years) 
un-represented.

The "big end of town" - the telstras, optuses etc have all the above. They 
have the ears of the decision makers, they move in the right political 
circles. They get consulted, they do all the things we wish (in hindsight) 
we'd had the resources, time, money, interest, expertise - to do. We 
resent not being asked. But we also resent being FORCED to give up our 
time to give information (how many customers do you have? how many 
services? how many blah, blah and blergh in the last 12 months?

We're our own worst enemies, and I honestly don't see any way out of it, 
because none of us are going to be the ones to put our hands up to do (or 
pay for) the work it requires.