Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. I refer the minister to her statements in the chamber yesterday when she said:

Obviously, in metropolitan areas fibre has some superior capabilities—

compared to wireless broadband. Can the minister explain what these superior capabilities are and will the government deliver parity of service for all Australians if it is only making these superior capabilities available to Australians living in the five mainland capitals?

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! Here we go again. Yes, Mr President, I can say, in answer to the question, that this government is committed to parity of services for all Australians irrespective of where they live. Parity, I am afraid, can be delivered by different technologies.

George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator George Campbell!

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is a fundamental point that seems to have escaped those in the dark ages on technology who do not understand the difference between what platforms work where and the different capacities that they have. I give an unequivocal assurance that this government is committed to parity of service and equality of service and that it will be delivered by the best possible mix of technologies that we can deliver. The issue with Labor’s proposal, as I have pointed out on numerous occasions—and I really do enjoy having the opportunity to bring the Labor Party up to speed on these matters—is that it is a bit difficult to deliver parity of service with fibre when there is no kerb to go to, there is no exchange to run from, or, if in fact there is an exchange, it is only going to run about a kilometre up to possibly five at the very best depending on how close you are to the service.

If you happen to live on a property, if you happen to live more than a kilometre away from an exchange, it is not going to help you very much to have fibre in some rural and regional areas. I have tried very gently to explain this to those on the other side, but, no matter what questions I get asked, it does not alter the technical capacities of these various platforms. What I can say to the Senate and, of course, more broadly to all Australians is that this government is not going to leave some Australians out of the benefits of new technology. We are not going to treat rural and regional Australians as though they live in some second-class backwater forgotten by the Labor Party. We will make sure that this technology, which will be truly marvellous, will in fact extend to all Australians regardless of where they live.

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I actually asked the minister to explain exactly what the ‘superior qualities’ are—rather than the infrastructure difficulties encountered—not parity of service. But I will do that now. Can the minister guarantee that Australians living in rural and regional Australia will be able to receive high-definition videoconferencing, which is vital for e-health and e-education, over a wireless broadband connection? If it is that good, will the minister commit to the challenge of running her own office and department on a wireless connection?

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is getting sillier and sillier. As I have tried to explain to Senator Crossin, you do not necessarily have the best wireless applications in built-up metropolitan areas where you are close to exchanges. What this government is doing through its Clever Networks program is providing $113 million for e-health programs, e-education programs and research programs through the length and breadth of Australia. I was fascinated to read that poor old Mr Tanner, who is back in the Dark Ages, has suddenly come up with the bright idea that this is what we should have in Australia. This is broadband rhetoric from people who are clutching at straws. They do not really understand what infrastructure is in this country and they are simply trying to pull themselves up by Labor’s usual broadband bootstraps.