John Murphy (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is directed to the Minister for Indigenous Health. Why is the NBN important for the delivery of Indigenous health services?

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Reid for his question. Quite recently I was privileged to be involved in a demonstration of how important and how productive the NBN can be for the long-distance diagnosis of health issues. I was at the Royal Darwin Hospital and we had a demonstration of the internal examination of an ear from a distance. We saw how, with the NBN and the quality of the network and the amount of information we can put across the broadband system, we can improve dramatically the way in which ailments can be diagnosed at long distance, throwing digital information along a highway which currently does not exist in many remote communities.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Barker and the member for Forrest!

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The important thing to understand is that, as the Leader of the Opposition ought to know, many people in remote Australia will not get access to the sorts of services that we can provide with the NBN through any proposal they are putting forward.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Fletcher interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Bradfield is warned.

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The people of the bush understand absolutely the importance of having the NBN in place to assist not only with health but also with education and other services. In the context of delivering improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, especially those who live in remote communities, the NBN will be of great importance and do a great deal of work for us. The important thing to understand is that it will not happen if the opposition get their way and wreck the NBN proposal.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.