Media Release

Sunshine Coast a digital economy hot-spot

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today officially launched the Noosa Clever Networks (Cooroy Knowledge Precinct) project.

"This project is well aligned with the Rudd Government's vision for Australia's digital future," Senator Conroy said.

"The Noosa Clever Networks project will help drive the development of the digital economy. It will assist business growth and enable the expanded rollout of government services in the priority sectors of health, education, community and emergency services across the Sunshine Coast region."

The Sunshine Coast Regional Council, in partnership with Mach Technology and Allegro Networks, has led a group to match Australian Government funding of $4.57 million for broadband projects in Noosa and Maroochy.

"This is a fine example of different levels of governments and the private sector working together to ensure that broadband infrastructure and broadband-enabled services are available across Australia," Senator Conroy said.

The Australian Government, through the $118 million Clever Networks program, is currently funding 26 innovative services delivery projects and 22 broadband development initiatives in regional, rural and remote areas.

Recent launches have included:

• Association of Independent Schools of Victoria VICTOR project, connecting over 90 regional and rural independent schools in Victoria.
• Telehealth in Western Australia, extending the WA telehealth network to a further 19 sites and upgrading the existing 59-site network to support end-to-end e-health services.
• Bush Medivac Western Australia, delivering improved emergency and health services to regional and remote areas via state-of-art terrestrial and non-terrestrial broadband infrastructure.

Further information on the Clever Networks program is available at www.dbcde.gov.au/clevernetworks

ends

Date: 31 October 2008
Contact: Tim Marshall 0408 258 457