14   national broadband development

Ms Rowland, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1)    notes the:

(a)    19 September 2010 Declaration by the members of the Broadband Commission for Digital Development to world leaders attending the 2010 Millennium Development Goals Summit at the United Nations on the benefits of broadband as the transformational technology for employment generation, productivity growth and the long term economic competitiveness;

(b)   OECD report of December 2009 which makes the case for investment in a competitive, open access national fibre network rollout based on benefits to four key sectors of the economy: electricity, health, transportation and education;

(c)    positive externalities of broadband in providing increased opportunities to access Australian health and education services, and the linkages between disparities in broadband access and social disadvantage; and

(d)   technical limitations of non fibre approaches to national broadband development, particularly in respect of video and other “real time” applications used to deliver health and education services; and

(2)    recognises the merits of the development of universal broadband access in Australia with an emphasis on options for niche broadband delivered content and applications to provide immediate benefits to areas and groups of identifiable need.

Debate ensued.

The time allotted for private Members’ business having expired, the debate was interrupted, and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.