From 1988, a small community of computer engineers, software developers, writers, poets, unionists and community workers fanned out across South Asia, South East Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe with modems in their back-packs and dial-up software in their pockets. It was perhaps the single most intensive effort to get people online since the establishment of ARPANET, and certainly prior to the broad scale uptake of the World Wide Web.

In 1989 the Pegasus Networks was founded, a small operation originally based in Byron Bay (Northern New South Wales) that brought computer networking to urban and rural communities throughout Australia for the price of a local call and modest hourly rates. By 1992 it supported a significant number of projects (in which Andrew was extensively involved) in the Pacific Islands and South East Asia. In 1993 he conceived of perhaps the earliest netcast in Australia, Fierce/Interave, with 40 participants representing the online world at that time.

In 1990 Pegasus contributed to the establishment of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), a global network of civil society organisations whose mission is to empower and support organisations, social movements and individuals in and through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). I worked with APC staff and members on countless initiatives, largely dealing with low-cost networking for aid, development and access to knowledge programs. In more recent years I have been a member of the APC Council and was elected to the APC Board in 2005 where I now perform the function of Secretary.

APC members were often the first providers of internet in their countries. Today, APC continues to pioneer practical and relevant uses of ICTs for civil society, especially in developing countries. APC is an international facilitator of civil society’s engagement with ICTs and related concerns, in both policy and practice.

The APC is an active participant in high level international ICT policy discussions, and were granted category one consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1995.

In 1999 I became a Director apc.au, the Australian member of the APC. apc.au now provides consultancy, production and research services to the civil society and arts sectors on digital and online media, open platforms and rights management.