Laurie Patton

Nominee details

Biographical info

Mr. Patton is about to become the CEO of IAP2 Australasia. IAP2 is an international member association working to promote and improve the practice of public participation or community engagement and incorporating individuals, governments, institutions and other entities that affect the public interest throughout the world.

For the past two years Mr Patton has been CEO of ISOC-AU (now known as Internet Australia). In 2014 ISOC-AU embarked on a major transformation project designed to increase its influence over the development of the Internet in Australia. Mr Patton has overseen a highly successful strategy that has established IA as a major source of influence in industry and government thought leadership.

Mr Patton has been appointed to the board of ISOC-AU and will continue his work to achieve its objectives as the not-for-profit peak body representing Internet users in Australia.

Mr. Patton was listed in the LinkedIn Power Profiles 2016 of Most Viewed Internet Professionals. He is frequently interviewed on radio and television and quoted in the press.

On IA’s behalf, Mr Patton joined a number of "GoDigi Champions" supporting 2016 the National Year of Digital Inclusion. He arranged for IA to form and to sponsor the creation of a group called Parliamentary Friends of the Internet - a forum for providing information and guidance to MP's and senators, especially in relation to legislation affecting Internet users. He has led IA's campaigns for all Australians to have access to the Internet and the skills to use it, both for economic and social development, and against Internet site-blocking, which IA argues is more of a public relations exercise than an effective solution to the unlawful downloading of video and audio content.

Prior to a career in television management, Mr. Patton was a high-profile journalist, and subsequently the CEO of an IT investment company with joint ventures in the US, China and New Zealand, and has held other CEO roles primarily in the non-profit sector.

Mr. Patton created the World Movies cable channel and was a founding director of the Australian Subscription Television Industry Association now called ASTRA. He was the inaugural chief executive of free-to-air community station TVS (Television Sydney), which was the first Australian channel to continuously live stream. He co-founded the Australian Community Television Alliance, and lobbied the Australian Government successfully to secure additional broadcast spectrum for metropolitan community stations.

Mr. Patton was a member of a review of the Indigenous broadcasting and media sector for the Australian Government, and a special advisor to the communications minister.

Mr. Patton has held a range of non-executive director roles, including at the Heart Foundation of Australia, Sky News Australia and the New South Wales Film and Television Office (now Screen NSW). He led the first official delegation of Australian film makers to the 2002 Shanghai International Film Festival and initiated negotiations that led to an Australia-China film co-production agreement.

Please see Laurie Patton's Wikipedia page for more information.

Nominee's statement

Unfortunately, a prior engagement means I can't join you this year for APRICOT 2017. However, I'm sure that it will be as beneficial to everyone attending as APRICOT 2016 was for me.

I'm keen to help APNIC as an executive council member by bringing to bear the skills that I have demonstrated as CEO of Internet Australia (previously known as ISOC-AU).

I joined IA two years ago as part of board policy of renewal and increased activity. Last year I was one of a number of "GoDigi Champions" supporting 2016 the National Year of Digital Inclusion. On IA's behalf, I organised the creation of a group called Parliamentary Friends of the Internet, a forum for providing information and guidance to MP's and senators, especially in relation to legislation affecting Internet users. I have led IA's campaigns for all Australians to have access to the Internet and the skills to use it, both for economic and social development, and against Internet site-blocking, which we argue is more of a public relations exercise than an effective solution to the unlawful downloading of video and audio content. We are currently advocating strongly for a better national broadband network and we are campaigning against what we have described as a fundamentally flawed data retention scheme.

My skills are varied and will, in my opinion, complement those of existing EC members and other future EC members. I am a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and bring high level knowledge and experience in corporate governance and financial management.

I am also an acknowledged thought leader in strategic management and innovation.

I would describe myself as an Internet enthusiast and see membership of the APNIC EC as a very good way to add value to the cause as best stated by the Internet Society: The Internet is for Everyone!

Nominated by

Organization

Lateral Plains Pty Ltd

Motivation for nomination

I have worked with Laurie for some years in my role as Chair of Internet Australia. His dedication and commitment to the Internet, its welfare and the outcomes for communities is unquestionable and has been manifested in the marked increase in profile, interaction and relevance that Internet Australia has gained since his appointment as CEO. Whilst he is applying for this position in his personal capacity, I believe that he will be of great benefit to many organisations and entities including Internet Australia, if he is successful.

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