Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 07 August 2007 11:34
Opinion and Analysis
Page 2 of 4
In Australia the Expert Taskforce was a knee-jerk reaction from a government that has, in its 13 years in office, produced two supposed national broadband strategy documents - The National Broadband Strategy and the Broadband Blueprint - neither of which has ever been invoked in support of the latest decision, or any other initiative so far as I am aware.
When she announced formation of the Expert Taskforce in June, communications minister, Helen Coonan, admitted the move was reactive not proactive. She said the Government's decision to proceed with a competitive bid process "reflected the enhanced interest of commercial players that had recently become evident."
Furthermore, the announcement was made almost as a footnote to one the Government presumably thought more important: the decision to give Opel $1 billion of taxpayers' money. "Fast affordable broadband access will become a reality for all Australians under a landmark funding and legislative initiative announced by the Australian Government called Australia Connected," Coonan said.
Then, down the bottom: "The Government will also conduct an open and competitive bids process and legislate to enable a new high speed broadband network for built-up areas, without the need for taxpayer funding.
Contrast this with how the Singapore initiative was announced, in a speech by Coonan's counterpart, Dr Lee Boon Yang, minister for information, communications and the arts on 3 March 2006. (You can read the full text of his speech
here)
