Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The government understands that access to high-speed broadband services is critical to Australia’s future social and economic prosperity. Fibre technology is essential to deliver the modern broadband infrastructure that this country needs to boost productivity.

This is why the government has committed to investing up to $4.7 billion to establish a new national broadband network in partnership with the private sector.

The national broadband network is a critical element of the government’s national infrastructure agenda, particularly given the increasing importance of the digital online economy.

The national broadband network is expected to provide minimum speeds of 12 megabits per second to 98 per cent of homes and businesses and be rolled out over the next five years. It will be an open access network to ensure equivalence of access for downstream service providers and will allow scope for providers to differentiate their product offerings.

The national broadband network will provide a platform for sustainable growth for our economy for many years to come.

One of the government’s key election commitments was to provide funding of up to $4.7 billion to facilitate the rollout of a national broadband network to 98 per cent of homes and businesses. The government also committed to using the $2 billion in the Communications Fund to help fund this commitment.

The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Communications Fund) Bill 2008 would amend Part 9C of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to enable money in the Communications Fund to be used for the purpose of funding the creation or development of a national broadband network, if required. The final decision on use of the fund will be made in the context of the government’s overall fiscal strategy.

The intent of the Communications Fund is to address the telecommunications needs of regional, rural and remote Australians. The Rudd government’s plan to roll out a national broadband network is fully consistent with this, but it will deliver in a much shorter time frame. The government is prepared to use the Communications Fund now to provide better broadband services to 98 per cent of Australian residential and business customers.

The previous government legislated to prevent funds being drawn below $2 billion and to only allow expenditure of the revenue stream. This government is prepared to invest $2 billion right now to fund this critical piece of national infrastructure. Under the previous government’s approach, regional Australians would be waiting 35 long years to reach the same level of investment in telecommunications that Labor is prepared to make right now.

In keeping with its commitment to regional Australia, the government has also extended the current Regional Telecommunications Review, chaired by Dr Bill Glasson AO, to August 2008. Amongst other things this will provide an opportunity for the review to take into account the national broadband network policy in preparing its recommendations. The government will consider funding in developing its overall response to the review report.

This bill is a significant milestone in the implementation of the Rudd government’s initiative to give Australia as a whole a first-class broadband network for the future.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate (on motion by Mr Anthony Smith) adjourned.