It began with an idea and the desire to open up debate and encourage people to discuss the telecommunications industry and telecommunication policy in a way that Australia had never seen before.

Dr Phil Burgess, Group Managing Director of Public Policy and Communications at Telstra and the founding father of the nowwearetalking website, talks to Political Editor Jeremy Mitchell about the success of the nowwearetalking website and some of the challenges ahead.

In this special podcast to mark the website's one millionth visitor milestone, Dr Burgess discusses how websites like nowwearetalking are providing new platforms for public debate and corporate activism in Australia, filling a void left by the media and those charged with public policy development.

Listen to this podcast:

• nowwearetalking the start of something big (MP3 - 7.33MB)
  Dr Phil Burgess speaks to Political Editor Jeremy Mitchell about the nowwearetalking website, the media and public policy development in Australia.
  Running time: 8min.