Media Statement - 8th August 2007
Today’s announcement by the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts regarding the draft guidelines for the process to build a high speed broadband network will come as cold comfort to the millions of Australians who are crying out for genuine high speed internet.
Senator Coonan has produced another stunt designed to see the Government through to the election without committing to solve Australia's broadband back water status.
The guidelines released today fail to:
- specify who the network will reach;
- specify the minimum connection speed;
- rule out a Government contribution for network losses; and
- prevent investment in a duplicate network.
This is despite the Minister's claims that the Government's broadband solutions will:
- reach 99% of the Australian population
- provide connection speeds of 20 mbps
- "not require any taxpayer funding".
These guidelines are as vague as the electorate maps provided for the OPEL network and they too should come with disclaimers.
The process allows for a six month period in which tenderers can prepare their bid, meaning there will be no decision made before the election.
Furthermore there are no guarantees that goal posts will not change during the tender process, as occurred with the Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program.
When combined with the fraudulent maps depicting OPEL's coverage, the guidelines issued today do not guarantee that any Australian living in major cities, suburbia, regional, rural or remote areas will have access to a high speed broadband network.
Given the Government's disastrous track record of backing obsolete technologies, no one should feel secure that these guidelines will deliver Australia a future proof broadband solution.