Australian News
| Stephen Conroy - Speech - KANZ Broadband Summit | |
 Australia places great value on our relationship with New Zealand and Korea, and events such as the Broadband Summit provide an excellent opportunity to deepen and broaden our engagement.As stable democracies in the Asia-Pacific region, Australia, New Zealand and Korea have strong links in trade and investment. We are pleased to have a close working relationship on important subjects such as our emerging digital economies. Our countries clearly have a strong shared understanding of how connected digital technologies are changing the world that we live in. Digital technology already pervades almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives, and it will become even more important as today’s investments and innovations enable new applications across the economy. All three of our nations have recognised the capacity for technology, underpinned by high-speed broadband, to enable and drive economic productivity gains and improvements in social service delivery. We are all approaching this opportunity in different ways, suited to our unique geographies, economies and societies. However, what underpins these different approaches is a common vision to ensure we all reap the rewards on offer. As you may be aware, Australia is undertaking an historic project to ensure we are best placed to exploit the opportunities that will arise from investment in high-speed broadband. We have announced a National Broadband Network connecting 90 per cent of homes, workplaces and schools with Fibre-to-the-Premises and the remaining 10 per cent with next-generation wireless and satellite. While the network as a whole involves a range of technologies suited to economic and geographic conditions, our focus on fibre reflects a growing trend around the world, and the Asia Pacific in particular. In fact, Fibre-to-the-Premises is becoming the standard for high-speed connectivity and according to the FTTH Council, now represents 63 per cent of fibre subscriptions across the Asia Pacific broadband market. The FTTH Council also reports that the Asian region now accounts for more than 30.8 million of the world’s estimated 38 million Fibre-to-the Home connections. Take-up is accelerating at extraordinary rates and subscriptions surged 12 per cent across our region for the year to December 2008. Like Australia, the New Zealand Government has committed to ensuring it has a leadership position in the broadband-based economy. It has announced a plan to accelerate the rollout of Fibre-to-the-Premises broadband to 75 per cent of the population. As many of us are already aware, Steven Joyce has announced Crown Fibre Company, to invest with the private sector to deploy and provide access to fibre-optic network infrastructure in 33 cities and towns. The New Zealand Government has also made other commitments to improve telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas. Steven has made clear these policies are designed to enable future economic growth, productivity improvements and enhance New Zealand’s global competitive standing As I mentioned, in Australia we have also made a strong commitment to invest in national high-speed broadband infrastructure across the country. This investment will provide an enabling platform for our future and ensure we keep pace with New Zealand and our other Asia Pacific neighbours who are rapidly adopting fibre broadband. This includes global FTTP leaders such as Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and China. Of course, it also includes Korea, which is well known for its pioneering work in this area. In fact, South Korea has over many years taken an active role in creating its knowledge-based economy, taking steps to develop broadband infrastructure, enable high tech innovation and foster the growth of the ICT and telecom sectors. Today, South Korea ranks sixth in the OECD for broadband penetration, with some of the best prices and highest available speeds. It has 13.8 million FTTH lines, ranking it first in the OECD for fibre access. Importantly, for other countries targeting broadband and ICT investments to stimulate economic growth, Korea provides a significant example of the capacity to succeed. Although Korea was among the nations hardest hit by the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, the country turned a disaster into an opportunity to grow its IT sector. Spending on broadband and other high-technology equipment helped lead a transformation of the economy. It pushed the overall ICT sector to well over 10 per cent of national economic activity and reduced dependence on heavy industry. By May 2004, about one-third of Korea’s exports were from the IT sector. Like Korea, Australia makes no apologies for taking decisive action to establish our ICT foundations. We recognise that networked digital technologies, applications and services fuel innovation, encourage creative business activity and stimulate the restructuring of industries and institutions. We understand the capacity for our infrastructure investment to provide a much-needed economic stimulus by generating thousands of jobs throughout the construction phase. Indeed, the NBN will support 25,000 jobs in Australia for each year of the eight year build – peaking at 37,000. Additionally and importantly, it will lay the foundations for future growth, productivity and innovation across all sectors of the economy in the years, and the decades, ahead. As Australia’s first truly national wholesale-only communications network, it is in itself an historic piece of micro-economic reform in the telecommunications sector. It will support a new competitive communications market that will unleash innovation and development. It is designed to enable efficiency and productivity growth across all sectors of the economy. The NBN will break down geographic and technology barriers and ensure improved economic and social opportunities. It is designed to deliver better services, better prices and new applications for every Australian. The network will assist the development of local economies by opening up new employment and trading opportunities. It will provide social benefits, such as improved access to education, health services and aged care. It will strengthen communities by providing new and enhanced communications. The NBN will also assist us to meet our energy and sustainability targets through smart grids and remote business applications. It will provide the basis for future infrastructure management and new processes for industries across the economy. Just as railways revolutionised life in the 19th century and electricity grids changed the shape of our economy in the 20th century, broadband is the vital foundation for the 21st century digital economy. One study, by Access Economics for IBM, highlights the transformative economic potential in Australia. It suggests that investments in smart technologies supported by broadband in electricity, irrigation, health and transport could add more than 70,000 jobs in 2014 alone. It makes a conservative prediction that these investments could increase GDP by 1.5 per cent within ten years. Another report by the Centre for International Economics, in 2008, said broadband could lift national economic output by 1.4 per cent after five to six years. Enabling these types of gains across our economy is the driving force for our plans with the National Broadband Network. We have a great vision for our digital future and are acting today to ensure we establish the best-possible foundations. While we are working to deploy the necessary infrastructure for our future, the Australian Government is well aware of the need to maximise the exploitation of our investments. This is why, earlier this year we released a landmark document in Australia’s digital economy journey. The report — Australia’s Digital Economy: Future Directions — is a roadmap for our participation in the digital economy. It identifies the key areas of focus for the Government, industry and the community to work together, to maximise the benefits of digital technology for all Australians. It was developed through extensive consultation, including workshops and a forum with industry, community and government representatives. We posed the question of where we want Australia’s digital economy to be in 2013 and what we need to do to get there. In formulating our national strategy, it is important to acknowledge the nature of the digital economy and which part of society is best placed to progress which elements. Digital economies are highly dynamic and they are primarily market-based phenomena. This means that the transformation of our economy and our society into a digital economy is appropriately market and community led. The Government’s primary role is that of an enabler – as demonstrated by our broadband investment. Government should enable individuals, households and businesses to take-up the opportunities raised by the digital economy. Secondly, a successful digital economy requires a digitally-confident and creative industry. We need an industrial environment that encourages and nurtures digital skills development and digital capabilities. Thirdly, we require a digitally-empowered, confident and literate community. This is a community that enjoys inclusive digital participation and the benefits of online engagement, leaving no-one behind. The collaboration that has already taken place between government, industry and the public is a clear sign of the common ambition to make Australia a digital economy leader. I have high hopes that this collective approach and enthusiasm will continue as we advance the discussion about Australia’s digital future. It is important that this discussion occurs across the country and in as many fora as possible. This cannot and should not be a debate within and amongst discrete industry sectors. The next stage of this dialogue and planning for Australia’s digital future will continue with a forum in Sydney next month. On December 10 and 11 we will bring together leaders from across the economy to discuss and develop, in detail, the tangible benefits the NBN will deliver to Australia. The forum, Realising Our Broadband Future, will help our research community and commercial sector to plot the digital future. Together, we will chart the applications, services and business models which will thrive in Australia’s high-speed broadband environment. The forum will be opened by the Prime Minister, and it will invite key industry participants as well as the public to participate. We want to ensure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to glimpse the exciting digital world that is emerging. We want to demonstrate the great innovation taking place in education, health and business, that will shape the way we live our lives in the future. We want to highlight that what is possible today represents just a fraction of the potential benefits that will flow with the NBN. Key speakers – to name just two – will include NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley and Jeff Cole, the Director of the Centre for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California. Forum participants will include leaders from across Australia, while the public will be able to contribute to discussion online. Participants will contribute to five streams of work, over two days. These streams – Smart Technology, E-Health, Digital Education, E-Business and E-Community – will debate the potential for future development. They will conduct a reality check, assessing where we are now and what needs to be done to maximise the advantage of the NBN. This event is about casting a vision for the future, ensuring that people understand the grand scope of transformation that our broadband investments will enable. It will highlight the opportunities for businesses and other organisations to invest to develop and embrace applications and services supported by the NBN. The digital economy already offers exciting opportunities for all Australians. Our forum will help us understand the productivity, efficiency and social gains we can expect in the future. Importantly, it will help us to define roles and map how we can all work together to achieve those gains. As I have said, the Australian Government has a strong understanding of our potential in the digital economy. We are laying the infrastructure foundations. We are creating the regulatory and competitive settings. We are fostering debate and awareness to help the community understand our vision and define their roles to ensure the nation gains maximum benefit in the future. As I have said, it is an absolute pleasure to be here in Auckland and to meet with two nations who I know share our vision for the connected society. I very much look forward to the talks ahead and look forward to the outcomes that emerge. There are several significant topics up for discussion this week, including: * digital content, * applications, * smart infrastructure, * e-health and e-learning, * green ICT, * intelligent transport, * R&D collaboration and, * a whole range of regulatory issues. All of these topics have a direct bearing on digital futures and as I have said, I keenly anticipate a positive dialogue and look forward to the results. Thank you once again to the New Zealander Government for hosting this event. It is a key marker as Australia, Korea and New Zealand work together to further develop our digital economies. Of course, I also look forward to seeing you all for the next KANZ Summit in the next 12 to 18 months in Australia. Thank you. |
