Media Statement - 27th November 2006
The release of the 2006-07 State of the Regions Report today highlights again the vital need to connect all Australian regions with high speed broadband.
Published by the Australian Local Government Association and National Economics each year, the report cites statistics that paint a grim picture for regional broadband performance.
This year’s report presents a compelling case for the roll-out of broadband in all regions and that it is the key driver of economic growth.
The Report found:
· the failure to address inferior Internet access quality could cost regions up to $2.7 billion in foregone gross regional products and up to 30,000 jobs in 2006*;
· regions with poor access to telecommunications technology are less productive;
· firms that use the Internet can increase their sales 3.4% faster than other firms; and
· high speed broadband provides the best opportunity for Australia’s industries to access global supply chains.
The Report says that the connection of rural communities to broadband is happening ‘relatively slowly’, despite Government programs.
The Howard Government has sold Telstra without a plan to connect all regions to high-speed broadband.
Labor believes all Australians are entitled to broadband access, regardless of where they live.
Labor will put an end to the ‘digital divide’ between cities and regions.
Labor will make the rollout of broadband a national priority and deliver a world class fibre-to-the-node network, which is the best technology to deliver broadband to all regions.
A Beazley Labor Government will draw on the $757 million Broadband Connect program and provide an equity injection from the $2 billion earmarked to the Communications Fund to deliver the public funding to roll out broadband, in partnership with the telecommunications sector.