Dana Wortley (SA, 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 advise the Senate on how the recently released National Digital Economy Strategy will assist Australia in improving both service delivery and our global competitiveness?

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

I thank the senator for her ongoing interest in this area. This is an important question that goes to the vision of the Gillard government's strategy, which is for Australia to become one of the world's leading digital economies by 2020. The strategy itself has eight key goals that will ensure that we as a nation take full advantage of the National Broadband Network to improve health service delivery, create new educational opportunities, assist small businesses to enter new markets and take advantage of increased business oppor­tunities, reduce the imbalance between metropolitan and regional and remote Australia, and support our growing and ageing population.

Since its release the strategy has received strong support from industry and community groups. Peter Strong, the CEO of COSBOA, the Council of Small Business of Australia, said:

It is without a doubt ambitious and that ambition is needed when it comes to the digital world which is changing constantly and at times dramatically.

Jonathan Nicholas, CEO of the Inspire Foundation, which supports youth mental health services, said the government's plan 'outlines a comprehensive strategy for leveraging the NBN to drive improved health outcomes in the Australian community'. The Australian Information Industry Association chief, Mr Ian Birks, said the strategy reflected 'bold and visionary leadership by Minister Conroy and the Gillard government'. I have to say Mr Birks went on to say—and I do not think anyone in the chamber could disagree with this—that it would be nice to see an intelligent response from the opposition. He stated:

I suspect its response will be around implementation and cost. But it would be nice to see an intelligent conversation about the NBN as we go forward.

The AI Group has stated: 'We had called for government support to help businesses prepare'— (Time expired)

Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. What action is the government taking to realise the vision articulated in the National Digital Economy Strategy?

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

The digital economy strategy outlines government programs that will assist in allowing more Australians to enjoy the economic and social benefits that the NBN can deliver, including $23.8 million for a digital communities initiative, a focus of which will be establishing digital hubs in the 40 communities that will first benefit from the NBN. Digital hubs will enable local residents to experience the NBN for a period of time and to receive training to develop the digital skills necessary to participate with confidence in the digital economy. $12.4 million is to establish a digital enterprise program that will help small- to medium-enterprises and not-for-profit organisations in the 40 communities to understand the opportunities to benefit from the NBN. $27.2 million is to fund a four-year— (Time expired)

Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate of any recent announce­ments that will help Australia's business community, especially small business, to take advantage of the National Broadband Network and the Digital Economy Strategy?

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

This morning Minister Sherry and I launched Driving Business Online, an exciting new initiative to help small businesses establish an online presence and to enable them to transact online. Driving Business Online is an educational program that is being developed by PayPal and partnered by eBay, Australia Post, Optus, MYOB, Powerfront, Symantec and the Australian Retailers Association.

We heard from two small businesses: Moisturecure, a business specialising in dehumidifiers, rising damp and mould problems; and Hardware2u, a small business selling home improvement products such as sheds, pergolas and decks. Both are located in regional Australia, but through their online presence they now have national markets and are open for business 24 hours a day. The blue PayPal bus is quite literally taking to the road with this important online message, delivering it in person to business owners and employees. (Time expired)