ITWire

One key project is the $22.2 million telehealth pilot project which was announced last month and which is seeking applications for projects to run over the next three years demonstrating the capability of the NBN to support provision of aged care, cancer care and palliative care particularly in patients’ homes.

The programme hopes to have 200 programmes under way during 2012, and 400 the following year.

The Government will also provide $6.2 million over four years for an NBN trial to improve service delivery to selected Department of Human Services (DHS) customers. This is intended to provide high definition video conferencing access to DHS specialist services, such as social workers and financial information officers, from a customer's home, a DHS customer service centre or from a third party organisation.

Pilots are planned to explore how such a service would work right across Australia regardless of a user’s location.

Separately $5 million will be provided over the next three years to pilot virtual English tuition via the NBN starting in 2012. Intended to support new migrants living in regional Australia the pilot will have two phases.

First enhanced distance learning online resources will be provided to teachers and home tutors while phase two will deliver interactive services in communities connected to the NBN. The programme will be reviewed in 2013 14 with a view to taking it national.