QUEENSLAND TO USE BROADBAND TO DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH
Published Monday, 27 August, 2007 at 05:45 PM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
The Queensland Government is developing a Broadband Options Paper to outline ways of maximising the economic benefits from broadband activity across the Smart State.
“This will help position Queensland as the national powerhouse of economic and employment growth driven by ICT-sponsored innovation and productivity,” State Development Minister John Mickel said today.
“Cabinet has approved the development of the options paper to outline strategies and options to ensure that Queensland maximised the benefits out of the Federal Government broadband activity to examine the options for delivering the best broadband services and connectivity to Queensland businesses and communities.”
“It will help us identify where there are gaps in service delivery as well as opportunities for stimulating the delivery of broadband services to improve business competitiveness and create job opportunities and give Queensland families faster access to the Internet.”
Mr Mickel said Queensland has taken this step because the Federal Government is not doing enough to support the roll-out of broadband to Queensland.
“The Howard Government is so disinterested in broadband that they have taken the issue off the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting of Regional Development ministers in Cairns.
”Broadband is critical infrastructure and is essential to Queensland’s economic development. Members of my ministerial advisory council have identified broadband as one of the most urgent areas needing attention in the Smart State,” Mr Mickel said.
“I will be raising the issue at tomorrow’s meeting, regardless of whether the Commonwealth wants it on the agenda or not.”
“The Howard Government has been developing its policy almost in isolation and we have not been adequately brought into the consultation process. Broadband is not just an infrastructure issue, it is an economic development issue and is far too important to be left to the Feds alone,” Mr Mickel said.
Mr Mickel said that in contrast Queensland had improved access to broadband in regional communities through projects such as Reefnet, northern.net and outback.net and the commercial activities of Queensland utilities’ partnerships with the business community.
The State Government will continue to keep the issue on the agenda and is ready to work in the best interests of Queensland.
Ministerial contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
27 August, 2007
“This will help position Queensland as the national powerhouse of economic and employment growth driven by ICT-sponsored innovation and productivity,” State Development Minister John Mickel said today.
“Cabinet has approved the development of the options paper to outline strategies and options to ensure that Queensland maximised the benefits out of the Federal Government broadband activity to examine the options for delivering the best broadband services and connectivity to Queensland businesses and communities.”
“It will help us identify where there are gaps in service delivery as well as opportunities for stimulating the delivery of broadband services to improve business competitiveness and create job opportunities and give Queensland families faster access to the Internet.”
Mr Mickel said Queensland has taken this step because the Federal Government is not doing enough to support the roll-out of broadband to Queensland.
“The Howard Government is so disinterested in broadband that they have taken the issue off the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting of Regional Development ministers in Cairns.
”Broadband is critical infrastructure and is essential to Queensland’s economic development. Members of my ministerial advisory council have identified broadband as one of the most urgent areas needing attention in the Smart State,” Mr Mickel said.
“I will be raising the issue at tomorrow’s meeting, regardless of whether the Commonwealth wants it on the agenda or not.”
“The Howard Government has been developing its policy almost in isolation and we have not been adequately brought into the consultation process. Broadband is not just an infrastructure issue, it is an economic development issue and is far too important to be left to the Feds alone,” Mr Mickel said.
Mr Mickel said that in contrast Queensland had improved access to broadband in regional communities through projects such as Reefnet, northern.net and outback.net and the commercial activities of Queensland utilities’ partnerships with the business community.
The State Government will continue to keep the issue on the agenda and is ready to work in the best interests of Queensland.
Ministerial contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
27 August, 2007