The "World's Biggest Luddite" could be getting a cushy job in the UK amid reports that Richard Alston has been fingered for the Aussie post of high commissioner to London.

Although the appointment hasn't been confirmed, reports from Down Under suggest he's being lined up for the job. One colleague described him as a "great guy...[who] did an excellent job as the communications minister".

Which is where El Reg first stumbled across Alston. He's the chap who tried to ban online gambling, attempted to outlaw the forwarding of emails and blamed South Koreans' love of porn for the country's enthusiastic adoption of broadband.

He also managed to blow AU$4m (£1.6m) on The Department of Communications, IT and the Arts website - a mere AU$3.4m (£1.4m) over budget.

He also described a non-profit organisation representing Internet users concerned with online freedoms and rights as "the spokespeople of the porn industry" and was embroiled in a row concerning the loan of a swish plasma screen TV from monster telco Telstra.

Still, if we will send our minor celebrities to the Australian jungle (http://celeb.itv.com/celeb/home.htm) for our televisual amusement it's perhaps only fair they retaliate with the Luddite. Fair dinkum. ®

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