Media Statement - 17th October 2007
The National Farmer’s Federation should re-consider its support for the Howard Government’s second-class wireless, broadband network for rural Australia.
Make no mistake, Federal Labor’s broadband plan is better than John Howard’s scheme.
A Rudd Labor Government would use the $2 billion Communications Fund to build an $8billion national broadband network that will deliver improved broadband access for 100 per cent of Australian homes and small businesses.
This will include a fibre-to-the node network that will deliver minimum speeds of 12 Mbps to 98 per cent of Australians and improved services to the remaining 2 per cent using the best-available new satellite, wireless and microwave technology.
Using the Communications Fund to build a network that will provide broadband access to all Australians is in keeping with the purpose of the establishment of the fund.
We are proud of the fact that we are investing in national infrastructure that will benefit all Australians regardless of where they live.
The Howard Government has neglected Australia’s telecommunications infrastructure over 11 long years which has left us lagging behind the rest of the world. They now want to commit millions of Australians in rural and regional Australia to a second-rate wireless service that will not deliver on the speeds or coverage claimed.
NOTE: Labor today released two maps which reveal the truth about the coverage of the Government’s $958 million fixed wireless broadband network. For more info, see the item under 'Related Material' on this page.