Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to take this opportunity to make some comments in relation to today’s broadband announcement and my deep belief that this is exactly the sort of nation-building and planning for the future that the Australian people both need and deserve. In my electorate of Adelaide, the issue of broadband speeds and black spots in our inner metropolitan areas is a source of intense anger and frustration and has been an ongoing impediment to businesses, students and families who all wish to access the internet at internationally competitive speeds. I have reported previously on several occasions in this House on my frustration that, in my inner metropolitan seat, there are households that have been unable to access high-speed broadband or, in some cases, any form of broadband at all. I have reported problems experienced by residents in Northgate, Prospect, Dulwich, Wayville, Goodwood and Unley and I have reported that the inner metropolitan council area of Prospect in my electorate has been found, in one recent report, to have the slowest average broadband speeds in South Australia at an average of just 56 kilobits per second. Needless to say, this is both outrageous and ridiculous and, frankly, we need to act urgently.

I represent an inner metropolitan capital city electorate and I have been shocked and appalled that Australia’s broadband infrastructure is so poor that we experience these sorts of problems in the cities. I can only imagine the scenario that regional Australia faces. I have raised these issues in parliament on several occasions, I have made representations to the minister, I have spoken with Telstra, I have spoken with residents across my electorate, I have spoken to local business, I have written about the problems in the South Australia media and I have raised them on the local television news. Despite this, the Howard government has remained absolutely and completely unresponsive, acting only to insult every one of us when the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts publicly argued that Adelaide residents ‘ought to be happy with broadband speeds as they are’. The reality is that we were not happy then and, more than six months on and with no progress made, we are still not happy.

It has been outlined in great detail already today how poorly Australia compares with other OECD countries in terms of broadband capabilities, and the significance of this in terms of e-commerce, e-medicine and our competitiveness generally. In light of this, it is nothing short of amazing that the Howard government continues to walk backwards on this issue at a time when it is so vital that we move forward in leaps and bounds.

In contrast, in what will be a significant and radical leap forward for Australia, federal Labor has today announced a plan to revolutionise Australia’s internet infrastructure by creating a new world-class national broadband network. Our announcement today will see up to $4.7 billion invested to establish a national broadband network in partnership with the private sector. This plan will have a significant positive impact across Australia and in my electorate of Adelaide. The national broadband network will connect 98 per cent of Australians to high-speed broadband internet services at a speed that is more than 40 times faster than most current speeds. Federal Labor will increase the speed to a minimum of 12 megabits per second. For businesses, educators and householders in Prospect, where reportedly the average speed is currently 56 kilobits per second, this is a significant leap forward that will bring them rocketing into the 21st century with internet speeds fast enough to allow access in real time.

For the people across Adelaide who are struggling with internet speeds or with gaining access to broadband, this development will mean slashed telephone bills for small business; enhanced business services such as teleconferencing, videoconferencing and virtual private networks; enhanced capacity for services like e-education and e-health; and high-definition, multichannel and interactive TV services. Today’s announcement will be the greatest national investment in improving information and communications technology and broadband internet access in Australia’s history. I am delighted that this announcement has been made by Labor today. It will bring significant benefits for the people of Adelaide. I am constantly contacted by residents of Adelaide and I am glad that— (Time expired)