John Forrest (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Would the Deputy Prime Minister inform the House how federal government investment in telecommunications infrastructure will help to ensure the long-term economic prosperity of regional Australia, including my electorate of Mallee? Are there any proposals which could impede this investment?

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Mallee for his question. As he is a professional engineer, I recognise his understanding of the importance of modern infrastructure right across Australia, not just in the metropolitan parts of Australia or the provincial cities but in rural and regional areas as well. The government also recognised that last year when we took a policy decision that would ensure the funding of infrastructure into the future, particularly telecommunications infrastructure that is needed greatly in the modern context. That high-speed broadband access is just as important as more traditional infrastructure in Australia such as roads and rail links across regional Australia.

Last year we announced a package of about $1.1 billion called Connect Australia, which was going to add to the mobile phone network across Australia but, importantly, provide an opportunity for providers to bid for grants to roll out large-scale infrastructure projects to enhance the access to broadband across Australia. In this day and age, where almost any business and any individual needs access to the internet—and, increasingly, businesses need access to high-speed broadband—we recognise that need. That is the $1.1 billion package. The minister for communications has announced that roll-out.

The $600 million broadband infrastructure fund that is currently being bid for is also out there. We encourage all operators—this is not just for any individual provider or technology; it is technology neutral and, if you like, provider neutral—because we want to get the best out of it and we want to leverage private sector investment in infrastructure across regional Australia as well.

Beyond that, the government put in place the $2 billion perpetual communications fund, which is going to provide a flow of capital that can be deployed to ensure that regional Australians get access to modern technology as it becomes available—

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, they won’t!

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hotham says they won’t. The only reason they won’t is if the Leader of the Opposition gets an opportunity to get his hands on that fund and goes and spends it elsewhere. That is the only reason it will not deliver.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Crean interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Hotham!

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have put in place a program where there is $1.1 billion available today and over the next couple of years—and, beyond that, a constant flow of revenue that will provide infrastructure across Australia, as is needed.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It will not!

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It will. But it will not if the Leader of the Opposition gets his way. He said that he will get hold of the $2 billion and spend it elsewhere. I guarantee that it will not get spent in regional Australia. We know all about the Labor Party and their track record as far as looking after regional Australia. They are big taxing, big spending governments with high interest rates and high unemployment.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Seventeen Per Cent over there! Mr Eleven Per Cent Unemployment over there! The hard work that this government has done in putting together good savings measures that give certainty in terms of investment in infrastructure—

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Savings measures? You don’t know what the words mean!

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It will give certainty as far as investment in infrastructure in the future—

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Crean interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hotham is warned!

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It will be ripped up by the Leader of the Opposition if he ever gets onto this side of the House and the Labor Party gets into government in Australia. Our government has put in place policies that guarantee in the long term that the investment and the capital will be available to ensure regional Australians get access to modern communications technology well into the future.