Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

DEPUTY LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE SENATE

Launch of Noosa Clever Networks (Cooroy Knowledge Precinct), Cooroy Butter Factory, Cooroy (QLD)

Friday, 31 October 2008

Good afternoon everyone, it is a pleasure to be here for the launch of the Noosa Clever Networks (Cooroy Knowledge Precinct) project.

I would like to start by publicly congratulating the Sunshine Coast Regional Council—and its project partners Mach Technology and Allegro Networks—for facilitating the development of the digital economy.

This project is an example of how governments and the private sector can work together to ensure that broadband infrastructure and broadband enabled services are available across Australia.

The Australian Government has been working closely with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and its partners to deliver Clever Networks projects.

In total, $4.57 million dollars in Clever Networks funding has been provided to support the accelerated deployment of high-speed broadband infrastructure in the Sunshine Coast region.

This funding was matched by Sunshine Coast Regional Council and its partners.

Following the completion of wireless and fibre broadband works, and now this data centre here in Cooroy, the Noosa Clever Networks project is ready for launch.

Like its sister initiative in Maroochy, this project aims to deliver improved services to the community, including health, education and emergency services.

The combined network is providing new high-speed broadband options for as many as 38 500 businesses across the region.

These activities are well aligned with the Rudd Government's vision for Australia's digital future.

Our aim is to provide a broadband infrastructure to enable a whole range of economic and social benefits such as:

• the creation of new markets for businesses and new jobs for regional Australia
• enabling regional Australians to pursue further education and training while remaining in their communities, and
• providing more convenient access to specialised medical services.

The project being launched here today will assist in the expansion of this vision, and contribute to the sustainable growth and development of the region.

The Noosa Clever Networks project:

• provides 'open access' to a number of carriers—driving competitive broadband growth, supporting innovation and driving productivity
• enables the Noosa Campus of Central Queensland University—one of seven campuses located throughout regional Queensland—to be fully integrated into its multi-campus system
• supports the secondary education sector by providing 4000 students within the Sippy Downs education precinct with improved access to broadband connectivity and broadband applications
• nurtures 10 000 professional teachers by providing the ICT Learning Innovation Centre with the bandwidth to support video-conferencing and media streaming
• enhances the capability of the Cooroy State Emergency Services Centre so that it can be used as an alternative disaster control centre, and
• supports a number of health care facilities in Noosa, including general practices, x‑ray imaging, and specialist clinics.

These are some of the ways in which the Noosa Clever Networks project is contributing to regional service development, and facilitating awareness and uptake of high-speed broadband in regional Australia.

However, these applications also help demonstrate the important point that building infrastructure alone is not enough.

It is imperative that we also build the knowledge, skills and capabilities to ensure that all Australians have the opportunity to take advantage of these new technologies.

To that end, in four weeks time on 18 November, the Government will host the first Australian Council of Local Government meeting, at Parliament House in Canberra.

The one-day meeting with all Australian mayors and shire presidents will address issues of national and local significance.

Among these will be the immediate challenges facing major cities and growth corridors, including urban congestion, urban planning and design.

As the Sunshine Coast Regional Council demonstrates, broadband and digital technologies have a strong role to play in addressing these issues.

We know the digital economy must underpin Australia's future economic progress.

We know that it is a critical element in driving—and benefitting from—innovation.

As many of you will know, the Rudd Government consulted with government and industry representatives on our digital future in workshops and a Digital Economy Forum held in September.

The workshops and the forum considered likely developments and aspirations for Australia's digital economy, over the next five years.

At the forum, a consensus emerged on the need for a road map for the future of the digital economy in Australia.

In response, I announced the Government's intention to develop a Digital Future Directions Paper.

The paper (which will be published in early 2009) will outline the benefits and opportunities that the digital economy offers Australians.

It will also describe the respective roles of government and industry, in maximising the benefits and opportunities arising from the Government's work to expand the digital economy.

The document will chart our path to the digital economy future, a future that the Sunshine Coast has clearly already seen.

The projects here highlight the value of all levels of government and the private sector working together.

Collaboration like this will be vital to building the infrastructure and knowledge base that will support regional Australia's participation in the digital economy.

The Noosa Clever Networks project is a significant milestone in this process.

It gives me great pleasure to declare the 'Connecting the Coast', Noosa Clever Networks project... live.

Thank you.