Mark Bishop (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Can the minister inform the Senate about the steps that the government is taking to ensure that Australian businesses and individuals realise the full potential of the digital economy?

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

I thank Senator Bishop for that question. The Rudd government recognises the importance of the digital economy in securing Australia’s economic prosperity. Today government, business and society all come together through digital technologies. Digital technologies now shape the nation’s economic, social and cultural exchanges. It is no exaggeration to say that these technologies are just as important as roads, rail, docks or airports for connecting Australians with the rest of the world.

The importance and potential of the digital economy will only grow when the government delivers on the national broadband network, providing minimum speeds of 12 megabits to 98 per cent of Australian homes and businesses. To this end, the government is engaging with industry on how the benefits from our investments in the digital economy, including the NBN, can be maximised. Our engagement with industry has included three workshops in which industry participants outlined their aspirations for Australia’s digital economy over the next five years.

The product of these workshops fed into a digital economy forum I recently chaired that was attended by more than 100 stakeholders, including small to large businesses, industry associations and all levels of government. The forum reached a consensus on the need to develop a road map for the future of the digital economy in Australia. This road map will outline the vision for the digital economy and help guide both government and industry efforts to realise the full potential of the digital economy. This road map—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When people are quiet, we will return to the answer by Senator Conroy.

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

As I was saying, this road map will outline the vision for the digital economy and help guide both government and industry efforts to realise the full potential of the digital economy. This road map will outline how the government will play its role in growing the digital economy in Australia by facilitating access to infrastructure and skills, enabling a safe and secure online environment, removing barriers to economic, social and cultural participation in the digital economy and adopting policies that promote Australian collaboration and innovation online. In order to establish a baseline for this work, I have commissioned research into international benchmarking of the Australian digital economy on a sector by sector basis.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

This is like an episode of Australian Idolthey just can’t stop auditioning! The digital literacy of Australians, particularly Australian children, was one key issue identified in consultations.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

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

Don’t worry—you will be voted off the island soon, Senator Macdonald. Australians will only be able to realise the cultural and citizenship opportunities offered by the digital economy if they have the skills to participate in the new medium. Australian businesses will only be able to identify opportunities to utilise these new technologies if they have a basic understanding of the tools of the digital economy. The digital revolution in our schools will go a long way towards ensuring that our children— (Time expired)

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are not going to get the call, Senator Bishop, until there is quiet in the chamber—I can assure you of that.

Mark Bishop (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question—it being Thursday, the last question time of the week. Are there any other government initiatives relevant to the government’s efforts to promote the digital economy?

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

Thank you, Senator Bishop, for the supplementary. As I was just saying, the digital revolution in our schools being encouraged by this government will go a long way to ensuring that our children have the technical skills they need to fully participate in this new and exciting world. But we are looking at further action that the government can take in this area. In addition to digital literacy, there is also a need to address the chronic shortage of professional skills that the previous government allowed to emerge in the ICT sector. We have an absolute crisis in ICT enrolments in this country at the moment, and for 11½ years those opposite did absolutely nothing about it. We have a major pipeline shortage, and this crisis is only going to grow over the next few years because of the indolence of those opposite. (Time expired)