Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Crossin for that question. The Rudd government is committed to ensuring that regional, rural and remote areas of Australia are prosperous and sustainable. In the last budget the government announced it would commit up to $400 million to respond to the regional telecommunications review chaired by Dr Bill Glasson. The Glasson review, tabled in parliament last year, catalogued the failures of the previous government to deal with deficient regional telecommunications.

Last Friday, the government tabled its response and made a down payment of $60 million, in line with the regional review’s recommendations. Of that, $46 million will be directed to a Digital Regions Initiative that will boost innovation in health care, increase the use of digital technology to improve emergency responses and extend digital education services. The government also committed $11.4 million in new funds to increase and extend the Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme. The subsidy has been increased to 85 per cent of the handset cost, from the 60 per cent set by the former government, and includes the replacement of handsets purchased over three years ago.

Finally, the government has committed an additional $3.7 million to a $30 million refocused Indigenous Communications Program. The Rudd government understands that regional communications has a critically important role in supporting regional Australia’s economic development and continued prosperity.