Broadband Blueprint a big let down

Stuart Corner
Sunday, 10 September 2006 12:50

Opinion and Analysis

Communications minister Helen Coonan has been talking up her Broadband Blueprint for months and a meeting of the Online Communications Council - federal, state and territory ministers responsible for IT&T was supposed to be a defining moment in the development of the strategy, but it has delivered nothing.
A statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting said: "Ministers agreed that broadband communications are a key component of Australia's critical infrastructure." (That should not have been difficult).

"They also agreed that while jurisdictions face different broadband challenges and have diverse needs, there is a clear benefit in strategically coordinating broadband issues across all levels of government." (Another no-brainer).

"Therefore, the Ministers agreed to continue the level of collaboration in broadband issues that was achieved in recent years." (At best this means maintaining the status quo which means doing very little: Victoria very publicly declined to participate in the National Broadband Strategy, and New South Wales never got around to submitting an action plan).

"Ministers noted that with a number of commercial infrastructure roll-outs proposed, and government at all levels making large investments in telecommunications infrastructure, it is timely that Australia adopts a clearly defined national roadmap to broadband development. (No, a national strategy should have been in place BEFORE all these rollouts took place its development is now long overdue).

"They recognised that a continued focus on the development of next generation network infrastructure and applications is required to underpin Australia's future economic prosperity and global competitiveness." (Great so far they are doing about as well as Blind Freddy)

"Ministers also suggested that the Blueprint should include an attainable roadmap for next generation broadband services and clearly articulate the roles of the Australian Government, other governments and private sector players in ensuring the development of advanced broadband networks and services." (At last some actual recommendations, although nothing earth-shattering and certainly nothing visionary).

"The achievement of this vision (what vision?) will require collaboration with the states and territories on funding solutions. The Australian Government has requested further specific input from the states and territories into the Blueprint."

So the states and territories have to actually do something although precisely what has not been spelt out. Presumably this is what Coonan had in mind when she told the Australian Financial Review's National Infrastructure Summit in Melbourne last month: "I am actively engaging my Online and Communications Council colleagues in the development of the Blueprint and it will be a focus of our next meeting in Canberra on 8 September."

In that speech she really talked up the blueprint. "The Broadband Blueprint will articulate a plan for a prosperous, knowledge-based information economy underpinned by world-class next generation broadband infrastructure. This infrastructure will facilitate industry productivity, strong economic development and the provision of key government services including health and education. The Blueprint will ensure that the rollout of next generation broadband is coordinated across jurisdictions with clearly delineated roles for State, Territory and Local Government to meet the needs of end-users."

And look what come out of it. Shadow communications minister Stephen Conroy summed it up nicely: "The Broadband Blueprint discussed at today's Online and Communications Council is just the latest in a long line of talk fests and Broadband Bandaids promoted by incompetent Howard government Communications Ministers.

"In recent years, the Howard government has had a National Broadband Strategy, an Australian Government Action Plan, a National Broadband Strategy Implementation Group, a Higher Bandwidth Incentive Scheme, a Coordinated Communications Infrastructure Fund, a Demand Aggregation Brokers program, a Metropolitan Broadband Blackspots program, an Australian Research and Education Network, a Broadband for Health Initiative, a Broadband for Health Pharmacy program, a Telecommunications Action Plan for Remote Indigenous Communities and a Clever Networks program."

Lots of programmes, projects, probably a few pork-barrels as well but of a coherent, overarching national strategy underpinned by a clear vision - not a skerrick, alas.