Page 890 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 April 2014
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the ACT, including important business hubs such as those in Belconnen, where the quality of broadband service is at the D or E quality level, according to the commonwealth’s MyBroadband website.
NBN Co is currently unable to provide advice on when these areas will be connected to the NBN. On current estimates, approximately 25 per cent of the population of Canberra and many of the industrial centres will continue to lack access to reliable high speed broadband by the end of 2016. To be competitive in the digital economy, the ACT government understands that small businesses need access to fast, reliable and affordable broadband. Without this, business cannot be sure that it can compete for electronic tenders, support interactive websites and teleconference with customers and suppliers. The ACT government will continue to strongly advocate for the NBN to be rolled out across the entire ACT as soon as possible to the original target of the end of 2015.
The vast digital economy moves in a way that no government can control. But to do anything less than engage fully in such a core area of our future, both in economic and social terms, would be extremely negligent. The ACT government is deeply involved in helping our economy to succeed in the digital arena, enabling the great innovators and entrepreneurs of Canberra to reach their potential. The benefits of this approach can touch our entire community. I look forward to the government continuing its work across the ACT.
MR DOSZPOT (Molonglo) (5.31): I thank Ms Berry for her motion today. In broad terms we support this motion. There is much to commend, but we do not think it goes far enough. On behalf of the Canberra Liberals, I will be moving an amendment, which I will come to later, which I think will strengthen the motion and the purpose for which Ms Berry has brought it on today.
The digital Canberra action plan was released by the Chief Minister last month. The Chief Minister calls this action plan a road map. Well, let us hope it has GPS capabilities, because with this government you never know where you are going to end up. Without firm directions, it will get lost. One could be excused for thinking that this is just another 20-page glossy brochure full of feeling and emotion but lacking the substance and street signs needed to get it to the destination.
You will find no argument from this side of the chamber that investing in our digital economy is fundamentally important in ensuring the growth of business, education, employment, health and research. When you get to the substance of the motion, Ms Berry lists a number of important aspects:
(a) the importance of the ACT Government’s Digital Canberra Action Plan to accelerate business engagement with the digital economy and help businesses access new customers and markets;
(b) the ACT Government’s investment of more than $12 million in NICTA over 2012-2016 towards research into innovative service delivery in areas such as e-health and e-government;
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