Senator the Hon Helen Coonan was Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts from 18 July 2004 to 3 December 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.

Senator Stephen Conroy is the current Minister for the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

37/07 Tuesday 17 April 2007

Clever Networks - smart broadband solutions for rural and regional Australia

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator the Hon Helen Coonan, today announced that sixteen projects have been successful under the first round of funding for the $113 million Clever Networks program.

“Along with the Government’s Australian Broadband Guarantee, Clever Networks continues the rollout of broadband access to all Australians wherever they live,” Senator Coonan said.

“And a number of these projects are only possible as a result of previous Australian Government funding that has promoted the development and adoption of advanced tele-health and online-education services”.

Senator Coonan said the following projects funded under the Coordinated Communications Infrastructure Fund (CCIF) provide a great example of what might be achieved under the Clever Networks Program.

Charles Darwin University’s CCIF project - enabled a 17 km broadband fibre optic backbone between the University and a series of research and educational institutions, in the Desert Knowledge Precinct, to help improve educational services in the region and in the Northern Territory.
The Loddon Connect CCIF project - provided 33 Victorian communities with access to a business grade DSL service providing clinical and administrative benefits to health service providers.
The District Council of the Yorke Peninsula CCIF project - provided enhanced community access to data, voice and video capabilities within a 10 km wireless local loop around the towns of Maitland, Minlaton, Yorketown and Warooka in South Australia.

“The 16 successful Clever Networks projects will use the latest in broadband technology to improve service delivery in the areas of health, education, government and emergency services for communities throughout rural and regional Australia,” Senator Coonan said.

“As a result of the coordinated approach promoted by the Australian Government,
$49 million from the Australian Government’s Clever Networks program has been boosted to a total of $145 million over the next three years, delivering broadband to communities across Australia far and wide”.

Included in the range of successful applications are projects that will provide:

improved technology in public hospitals and health care facilities a llowing doctors and health care providers to share patient records and x-rays across secure networks—delivering better patient services for communities in regional and remote Australia
remote diagnostic services to local communities and rural homesteads;
improved care and services to clients of health and disability services with encouraged flexible learning for therapists;
improved communications to better deliver local business and community-wide benefits in regional centres;
supporting integrated emergency services management to improve coordination of police, fire and emergency services; and
enhanced broadband connections to many regional and remote schools, including those in Indigenous communities.

“I will be announcing the successful projects individually over coming weeks,” Senator Coonan said.

“Clever Networks is part of the Australian Government’s broadband services that will ensure all Australians can benefit from fast broadband regardless of where they live.”

More information about Clever Networks is available at www.dcita.gov.au/clevernetworks.

Media Contact: Fiona Telford - 02 6277 7480