Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McEwen for her ongoing interest in this portfolio area. The switch-over to digital TV is important to Australians as it provides audiences with improved picture and sound quality and greater program choice. The switch-over will also free up scarce spectrum, delivering what is known as the digital dividend. This realised spectrum could be used for a range of next-generation communications technologies, including wireless broadband, telephone and broadcasting services, bringing benefits to all Australians.

In order to realise the benefits to be gained from digital television switch-over, the government is working to implement a detailed plan for the phased region by region switch-over of digital television. Soon after coming to office in December 2007, the government announced a firm date for the digital switch-over: 31 December 2013. A firm switch-over timetable is important to give certainty to industry and consumers and to give them time to plan and prepare for the switch-over.

In October 2008 I announced a region-by-region switch-over timetable which will further enable industry and viewers to plan for the switch-over. Under the government’s phased switch-over timetable, the first region to make the switch to digital-only television will be the Mildura-Sunraysia region in the first half of 2010.