Prime Minister Fails On Broadband For Regional Victoria
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Media release - 28 August 2007
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The Federal Government is holding back Victoria’s regional economy by failing to deliver high-speed broadband access creating a massive opportunity gap between regional Victoria and inner Melbourne, the Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Jacinta Allan, said today.
At the Ministerial Regional Development Council meeting in Cairns, Ms Allan joined other state Regional Development Ministers in calling on the Federal Government to release details of the $958 million OPEL contract – which requires Optus and Elders to deliver metro quality broadband services to regional Australia.
“All states represented raised concerns that the lack of access to high-speed, reliable broadband was hindering the economic development of Australia’s regional area,” Ms Allan said.
“The latest Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report has found that Australia’s broadband connections are among the world’s slowest and that countries like Poland and Mexico have faster average download speeds.
“After the Federal Government took the broadband issue off the meeting agenda, Victoria led discussions to have the item reinstated, with the Federal Government reluctantly agreeing.
“However, the Federal Government failed to deliver any assurances to the states that their broadband model would deliver the broadband services needed to attract industry and people to regional Victoria.”
The Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Theo Theophanous said that while telecommunications were strictly the responsibility of the Federal Government, the Brumby Government was doing everything it could to help regional communities have access to the best possible broadband infrastructure.
“An outstanding example of this is the Brumby Government’s VicSmart rollout, which will see every government school in the state connected to high-speed, fibre-optic broadband by the end of 2008,” Mr Theophanous said.
The Brumby Government has invested $89 million in delivering high-speed, fibre-optic broadband to all government schools in partnership with Telstra.
Ms Allan said high-speed, reliable broadband was also crucial to driving business and jobs in regional Victoria.
“While the Federal Government is leaving regional communities hanging on the line, the Brumby Government will continue to support the rollout of vital infrastructure that will make regional and rural Victoria the best place to live, work, send an email and raise a family,” Ms Allan said.
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