Media Release

$60 million to drive digital services for regional, rural and remote Australia

A competitive selection process for digital education, health and emergency services in regional, rural and remote Australia will commence in the second half of 2009.

"The $60 million Digital Regions Initiative will ensure Australians living outside our major metropolitan centres enjoy the benefits of digital education, health and emergency services," the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, said.

"The National Broadband Network will deliver high-speed broadband to all Australians, no matter where they choose to live or work and the Digital Regions Initiative will drive important developments to enable the productive benefits on offer."

"Through the Digital Regions Initiative, the Rudd Government will form partnerships with state, territory and local governments to drive digital development in the key service areas of education, health and emergency services."

Senator Conroy today invited comments from key stakeholders on the draft program guidelines for the Digital Regions Initiative.

"These guidelines will shape the way we deliver projects supporting digital education, health and emergency services under the Digital Regions Initiative. I look forward to receiving views on the operation of this program," Senator Conroy said.

The Digital Regions Initiative was announced on 5 March 2009 as part of the Government’s initial response to the Regional Telecommunications Review. Further funding was announced in the 2009–10 Budget.

Examples of possible initiatives include but will not be limited to:

• remote medical consultation, diagnosis and treatment to address regional skills shortages and enhance patient care
• digital resources and services such as teleconferencing to improve access to educational opportunities for regional, rural and remote students and teachers, and
• digital technologies to improve emergency and disaster response.

Following the finalisation of guidelines, the first Digital Regions Initiative competitive selection round will commence in the second half of 2009.

The draft guidelines and information on the Digital Regions Initiative are available online at www.dbcde.gov.au/digitalregions