Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to briefly talk about the National Broadband Network and existing technology. I listened with interest to Ministers Roxon, Garrett and Snowdon during the sitting today, and to their responses in respect of the merits of the NBN. What I found disappointing was the fact that we did not also cover the existing technology that is currently used and still extremely effective.

I refer to the work I did in health, where telemedicine and telehealth were significant aspects of providing diagnostic work around otitis media, both in New South Wales and Western Australia but particularly in Western Australia in a broader context. The importance of the advances made in telemedicine is that they have enabled city based specialists to diagnose children and adults in country towns; provide the level of detail required both for their local GP and in the context of a patient having a better understanding of the health problems they are facing; and then have the capacity to discuss the treatment proposed, the merits of transferring to the capital city or, alternatively, having treatment at the local level. I think there is also a need to look at capacity, when we roll out any technology, around the skills that are required by people operating the systems that are established.

In listening to Minister Snowdon make reference to Aboriginal medical services, I saw considerable merit in what he outlined. However, there is also a recognition that that technology is now harnessed and used by Aboriginal community controlled health services around the nation. To that extent, the NBN, whilst it has merit in the way in which it is being proposed and articulated within the House, does not take into consideration existing systems. Part of the challenge is that there are a number of areas in which government resourcing is required to address some very particular issues around infrastructure, youth programs, hospitals and a range of other issues. I am of the view, even though I have not read the business plan for the NBN rollout, that there is the capacity to look at existing infrastructure and utilise that infrastructure in a way that not only enhances its function and role but also makes it very targeted towards the things that are being sought. I also recognise that small businesses certainly draw down heavily on technology—

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