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Wednesday, March 3, 1999

Manufacturers slow on YK2 bug

By LEON GETTLER in Melbourne

A new millennium bug campaign will target tardy manufacturers who have not yet achieved Y2K readiness.

The head of the Federal Government's Year 2000 Industry Program, Mr Graeme Inchley, said yesterday that manufacturers appeared to be lagging.

Some large companies were also struggling and he warned that security and air-conditioning systems and lifts in some high-rise buildings could be vulnerable.

While utilities, mining, wholesale and the finance and insurance sectors seemed to be leading in Y2K readiness, the manufacturing, retail and construction sectors were lagging.

He said he had heard anecdotal evidence from consultants about several unidentified large companies that had problems getting their systems ready in time.

He said in Sydney, a large construction company was struggling and a retail business was now for sale after its owners realised they would not make it.

A major survey later this year would identify potential problem areas. Businesses that had decided not to tackle the problem would be targeted. These companies had deliberately not acted because of the costs or because they believed the bug would not affect them.

"We would like somehow to have one more shot at getting to those people," he said.

He foreshadowed a major campaign on manufacturers.

"Manufacturing appears to be highly dependent on technology but seems to have done relatively less than some of the other industries," Mr Inchley said.

He said that as part of its remediation efforts, the Commonwealth Bank had found that about 1,500 of the 61,000 embedded systems in its buildings would have malfunctioned.

"You would say that is a probably a reflection of all the high-rise buildings in Australia."

But he dismissed as premature warnings urging people to stockpile food and water: "There is a lot of time for contingency planning ... let's examine things when we get to October this year."

So would there be a statement later in the year? "If the evidence is there, I think the Government has a responsibility to make some statement."

END OF CUT AND PASTE

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 02, 1999

Answers

Lin k.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), March 03, 1999.

Hey, thanks, Steve! I've just been looking at the top 20 list of commodities we import from Australia:

Aluminum ores, bovine products, autos and other vehicles, crude oil, ores and concentrates of base metals, aircraft and associated equipment, spacecraft and associated equipment, oil, alcoholic beverages, nickel, wool and other animal hair, parts and accessories for motor vehicles, iron and steel, meat, sugars, molasses, honey, radioactive and associated materials, apparel, textiles, measuring instruments, starches, inulin, gluten, albumin substitutes, glues, pearls and prescious and semi-precious stones.

There are more than 20 single items but those related are grouped together as one category.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 03, 1999.

Hi folks, First post but I've been lurking a while! I'm astonished that Australia exports Spacecraft to the US, the acoholic beverages bit I can believe, but Spacecraft??! You might be interested in the fact that I have not seen one news report here regarding the Senate report, I thought it might at least get a mention, but if it has I haven't seen it. Best wishes from Australia. RonD

-- Ron Davis (rdavis@ozemail.com.au), March 03, 1999.

It is a bit odd - but worth remembering - to see the minister's comments about air conditioners and systems. "twill be mid summer down under in January.

Mr K. (up here) is continually pushing the "bump in the road" scenario in public - and who knows what in private. Good to see postive straightforward comments from the government for a change.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), March 04, 1999.