Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood and Childcare) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to update the House on efforts underway in Adelaide to ensure that our local community maximises the potential of the National Broadband Network and the huge opportunities that come with this state-of-the-art cutting-edge technology. I have recently had the opportunity to join with Adelaide Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood in opening the Adelaide City Digital Hub and Digital Enterprise programs. This is a fantastic resource for our community and I am incredibly proud that our government was able to fund it. It allows a place where there is free advice and assistance to local residents and businesses in Adelaide on how to harness the opportunities of super-fast broadband.

Right across South Australia, as we speak, construction work is underway so that residents in Prospect can be connected to the NBN later this year. I am delighted that on Friday I will have the opportunity to join with the Prospect Council, who have worked so incredibly hard to ensure that our community will have access to this technology. We will be opening the Prospect Digital Hub and Digital Enterprise programs. In both of these hubs we will see that there is free support for small to medium businesses so that they can improve the way they do business, improve their online services and find opportunities to grow and expand. As local businesses understand the power of this technology and find smarter ways of operating for the future, I know this will result in a huge boost to our local economy and will support local job growth into the future.

But business is not the only one to benefit from these digital hubs. We know that local families, community groups and schools can be assisted by a comprehensive and up-to-date digital literacy training program, run at the hub, which will help them participate confidently and safely online, help to educate our kids and find new ways of connecting with our community. I know that Adelaide City have a particular emphasis on outreach to seniors and making sure that we go through programs so that seniors can capitalise on the opportunities which are presented by this technology. Indeed, I know that in Prospect there is a real focus on art and how we can use the NBN to further enrich our creativity.

I congratulate Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood and Prospect Mayor David O'Loughlin, as well as the Adelaide City Council and the Prospect City Council, on delivering these innovative projects. It has been an absolute pleasure to partner with them for the benefit of a local community as we ensure that we have a plan for modern Australia.