Post by Flash on May 6, 2008 17:55:17 GMT -5
Hon Stephen Conroy says
Thank you Gerard [Henderson, Executive Director of the Sydney Institute] and thank you for the invitation to be here today.
The Sydney Institute is an important forum for the serious discussion and debate of public policy and policy reform.
With many significant developments in my portfolio area underway, today presents a great opportunity to outline the Government's digital economy agenda.
Last week, I attended National ICT Australia's Techfest, where they were showcasing 20 outstanding research projects.
This really was an exciting glimpse of our digital future.
It was fascinating listening to these researchers talking about where they see technology taking us into the next decade.
NICTA Lab Manager, Doctor Terry Percival, talked[1] about a future where ICT addressed some of the major problems we face in the world today.
In the area of healthcare for example, he spoke of a pre-emptive system where doctors would call patients before they got sick.
Dr Percival also envisioned a much cleaner world where ICT had drastically reduced energy consumption, improved public transport, and even removed the need for work-related travel!
I suspect many people would approve of all of these developments!
No doubt, everyone in this room has heard the phrase ‘Digital Economy'.
You may have also noticed that my Department has been renamed to make this an explicit focus.
I am often asked why this Government places such an important policy focus on the ‘Digital Economy'?
The answer is that how we manage the Digital Economy will have a profound effect on our economic performance and the lives of all Australians.
Our future prosperity will be bound to the growth of the digital economy.
In essence, the ‘Digital Economy' encapsulates the framework within which increasing levels of economic activity and social interaction will take place into the future.
The convergence of technological platforms is changing the way services and applications are being delivered.
We truly are moving into a new frontier.
Around the world, policymakers are grappling with how to ensure their countries harness these benefits.
Countries that embrace them will prosper.
In many ways, the Digital Economy is already booming.
ICT is already entwined in our economic and social fabric in areas as diverse as financial markets, government services, social networking, entertainment and telephony.
Fuelled by the increasing pervasiveness and power of the internet, ICT is changing the nature of economic activity and social interaction.
New services and applications are increasingly viewed as ‘essential' by consumers and businesses.
You do not have to look far to see this.
Take the business sector as an example.
Businesses are using ICT and the internet to revolutionize their systems and processes in order to improve efficiency and promote innovation.
Old business models are giving way to new ones.
In some cases, competition is just as likely to come from overseas as down the road.
Technological change is breaking down the tyranny of distance.
Consumers are also benefiting.
They are watching IPTV and vodcasts, making travel arrangements online, enjoying cheaper phone calls through voice over IP technology and roaming through virtual worlds such as Second Life.
And not only are the services and applications changing but so too are the platforms over which they are being delivered.
‘Content' and ‘connectivity' is now available to businesses and consumers in the office or on the move.
Indeed, the ‘mobility' of services is now an accepted feature of modern day life.
Perhaps some of the most exciting possibilities in the transition to a Digital Economy are in the education and health sectors.
Schools and universities are increasingly using the internet for education and research.
Using the internet, students can remotely access audio or video recordings of lectures and better participate in distance education.
Researchers can use the internet to collaborate with colleagues around the world, accelerating the development and availability of scientific breakthroughs.
The link between investment in education and broader economic benefits is well accepted.
Equipping current and future generations with the best possible technological opportunities, will enable Australia to make an effective transition towards a knowledge-based economy.
Improvements in ICT – particularly if underpinned by the widespread availability and affordability of higher speed broadband – will further open up the possibilities for improved distance learning education.
We are also on the cusp of exciting developments in the e-health sector.
Some doctors and hospitals are already diagnosing patients remotely,
High quality video conferencing facilities allows for this via ‘real time' interaction between patients and doctors in separate locations.
The Veterans Association of America has implemented a remote patient monitoring program.
As a result of this scheme, hospitalisation has been reduced by up to 60%.
The social benefit of this type of program – which allows older people to stay at home and retain independence – is enormous.
And along with this there are huge economic savings – particularly if we project into the future and recognise that Australia has an aging population.
Broadband the Digital Driver
Harnessing the potential of the Digital Economy is critical for Australia 's long-term economic prosperity and international competitive standing.
But it will also be critical for promoting social cohesion, and even cultural depth.
Obviously, the availability and affordability of first-class internet services for all Australians is one of the key elements in harnessing this potential.
Recent statistics provide an interesting snapshot of the internet and the effect it is having on our lives.
As at March 2008, there were over 1.3 billion internet users worldwide.[2]
More and more people are going online to do business.
Over 25 per cent of people in the OECD ordered goods or services online in 2007, while over 30 per cent of the OECD population performed online banking activities.
But the internet is also helping people in more intangible ways.
45 per cent of internet users in the US reported that the internet helped them make big decisions.
And in Korea – a country where 94 per cent of households are connected – users report positive effects on their lives such as convenience, promotion of civic rights, participation in politics and an increase in leisure time.
In the 2008 Digital Future Project – which is a study of internet usage in the United States – 45 per cent of users said that the internet was important or very important in helping them to maintain social relationships.
In Australia , the most recent ABS stats show that at the end of 2007 there were 7.1 million internet subscribers in Australia .
They also show that – where available – there is an increasing demand for higher speed broadband services.
And it is not just email and banking that people are using the internet for.
Roy Morgan data shows that nearly 60 per cent of users have downloaded audio material while more than 30 per cent have either streamed or downloaded internet video.
Three years ago I spoke to experts who openly questioned why anyone would want to move video around the internet.
Yet YouTube reported recently that nearly 4 million Australians visited their site in January – up a staggering 74% from the year before.
Increasingly, the internet is being viewed by some as an essential facility – in much the same way as gas, electricity and the telephone.
A recent report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) indicated that Australians already see the internet as an essential part of their lives.
70 per cent of household consumers indicated that broadband is a “critical service for the future”.[3]
The internet is also increasingly being used as a mechanism for interaction and consultation between Government and the broader community,
Research posted last month showed that a quarter of all Australians now conduct most or all of their entire dealings with Government online.
3 in 5 people used the internet to access government services in 2007, a 20 per cent increase compared with 2004-05 usage rates.
The report found that Australians value the convenience that the internet provides in their dealings with government agencies.
All of these developments suggest that we are in the process of a profound social and economic transition.
But what role is there for Government in this transition?
The transition towards the Digital Economy represents the next frontier.
It is the Government's responsibility to ensure that Australia has the infrastructure, the confidence, the skills and the regulatory settings in place to embrace an effective transition towards a fully-fledged Digital Economy.
This Government's vision is to position Australia as a highly competitive and innovative knowledge based economy.
This vision will not be achieved by one policy in isolation however important it may be.
Over time, it will require the Government to consider a range of coordinated policy measures and responses in a range of areas.
This includes:
* ensuring that the necessary infrastructure and regulatory frameworks are in place and
* ensuring that the necessary protections are in place to enable Australians to plug into the Digital Economy safely.
The Government's vision for Australia 's transition to a Digital Economy is based on a number of clear and sound policy principles:
Australians should have access to the best infrastructure and services possible in order to maximise the potential benefits from the transition to the Digital Economy.
Connectivity should be available to all Australians irrespective of where they choose to live or work.
And the affordability of services – including for disadvantaged members of our society – is a critical element of the equation, and an important policy focus for Government.
Australians should be protected from cyber-safety and e-security threats, and assured that they will have access to new and innovative services as they emerge.
It is critical that the Government provides leadership in this area.
Not only by setting out clear and sound principles but also by getting the policy and regulatory settings right to ensure they are promoted.
I'd like to step through a number of areas of policy reform we have underway to maximise the benefits of the Digital Economy for all Australians.
Spectrum Reform
One area of particular focus for the Government is the efficient management and use of our national radio spectrum assets.
Spectrum is used for key communications in the modern world - television, mobile telephony, wireless broadband, satellite broadband, emergency services, security, logistics tracking to name but a few.
It is a core plank of our national infrastructure.
The Rudd Government recognises the importance of spectrum and intends to make sure that we maximise the potential benefits for Australian consumers and industry.
New and emerging wireless technologies deliver some obvious productivity benefits, however, spectrum also provides a huge economic benefit to a developed economy.
A recent study estimated that radio spectrum contributed 42 billion pounds to British economy in 2005–06.[4]
There is no reason to believe that the benefit would be any smaller here as a proportion of the economy.
Many other economies have already completed reviews on key radio spectrum issues and are moving into a decision-making phase.
The Australian Government also wants to progress spectrum reform.
Considerable work is now required to position ourselves so that we — and I emphasise “we” (this is not just about the Government) — can make informed judgments.
Digital TV Switchover
An area attracting particular attention is the transition from analog to digital television.
The television industry is well underway in moving to digital and production and delivery platforms and many developing countries have already made the switch or are in the process of switching to digital TV.
The Rudd Government wants to ensure that Australia is not left behind and that the switchover is completed with minimum disruption and maximum benefit for Australians.
The Government has set December 31, 2013 as the date for completing the switch-off of analog TV.
We have established the Digital Switchover Taskforce to and allocated $37.9 million for a range of measures to ensure a smooth transition.
Digital television will deliver a range of benefits for consumers including better quality picture and the provision of additional channels.
It will also deliver a national benefit as spectrum previously allocated for analog broadcasting signals becomes available for new uses.
Known as the digital dividend, some estimates put the value of this spectrum at close to $1 billion.
Spectrum realised in the switch-off of analog television broadcasts could enable the launch of new services - including wireless internet, mobile telephony and broadcasting services.
The Government has started consultation on the digital dividend and other spectrum reform issues and is committed to ensure we maximise the potential benefits of this key national infrastructure asset.
National Broadband Network
The Government's policy for a National Broadband Network has received lots of attention.
Before the election we committed to make up to $4.7 billion in order to facilitate the rollout of a high speed broadband network to 98 per cent of Australian homes and businesses.
The widespread availability and affordability of first-class broadband services is a first-order priority for the Rudd Government.
The National Broadband Network will rival the Snowy Mountain scheme in its scale and national significance.
It will provide infrastructure to transform our society and our economy – moving us confidently into the Digital Age.
The National Broadband Network will be foundation infrastructure that will support services and applications that people need now, and those innovations that will emerge in the future.
Since the release of the Request for Proposals, there has been a range of speculation by some commentators on the Government's broadband policy.
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate a couple of things about the upcoming assessment process.
This Government is committed to a genuinely competitive assessment process.
This is precisely why:
* I have appointed a Panel of Experts with a range of specialist experience to assess proposals and provide me with a recommendation
* the Request for Proposals has been designed to maximize competitive tension and encourage innovative proposals and
* we are working to ensure that proponents will have access to relevant network information to assist in the preparation of their bids.
I know there are a range of parties out there with the interest, skills and capabilities to get involved in this process and put forward seriously competitive proposals.
I encourage them to do so.
Let me also take this opportunity to reiterate another point about this process.
The Government has always recognised that it may need to consider regulatory or legislative changes to facilitate the deployment of the National Broadband Network.
The Request for Proposals invites proponents to put forward structural measures or models to address the Government's objectives of competition and a genuine open access regime.
Labor opposed the current operational separation regime that applies to Telstra because we regarded it as ineffective.
Now in Government, we have not changed our view.
We are prepared to carefully look at structural arrangements similar to those adopted in countries such as UK , NZ and Singapore .
The regulatory arrangements and structures around the National Broadband Network are a central consideration in this process.
This is why I have also called separately for submissions on what the future regulatory settings should look like.
The Government is determined to ensure that arrangements are in place to promote robust competition in the market for delivering services over the new network.
This will underpin a more innovative market that delivers new and exciting applications to Australians at prices that represent value for money for consumers and businesses.
E-Security Considerations
As I said before, the National Broadband Network will be a key driver in Australia 's transition to a fully-fledged Digital Economy.
The National Broadband Network will accelerate the rate at which Australian's are plugging into the Digital Economy.
Yet many of the opportunities that come with a connected world bring with them risks and dangers which we cannot be blind to.
There are emerging e-security threats and vulnerabilities that pose a challenge to the effective and efficient use of new technologies.
Governments and the private sector need to work together across jurisdictions to improve cyber-security, combat spam and protect privacy, consumers and minors.
Concerns about security, trust and privacy are also barriers to users buying online.
Recent OECD figures show that in the EU, over 30% of internet users do not buy online because of security concerns.
In Australia this figure is about 20 per cent.
As the most vulnerable segment of the Australian digital economy, home users, students and small businesses need to be aware of these security risks and have the tools to protect themselves from threats.
The Government has adopted an integrated approach that addresses e-security risks to Australian Government networks, critical infrastructure, home users and small businesses.
We are focusing our efforts on a number of areas.
For example, we are educating parents, children, teachers and business on the risk of online engagement and empowering them with the skills to avoid the dangers.
And we are engaging with industry to set priorities for action.
We are also making sure we are informed of emerging issues and solutions by conducting research and keeping abreast of what the rest of the world is doing in relation to cyber-safety and e-security.
Addressing these issues is a vital component in maintaining trust and confidence not only in the internet, but within the wider digital economy.
The Government has identified three priorities to provide an integrated approach to Australia's e-security.
The first of these priorities is reducing the e‑security risk to Australian Government information and communications systems.
The second is reducing the e‑security risk to Australia 's national critical infrastructure.
And the third is enhancing the protection of home users and small and medium sized businesses from elect ron ic attacks and fraud .
To ensure parents and teachers have confidence in the internet as a valuable educational and social tool – we need to address the online risks to children which is why the Government has a cyber-safety policy.
This policy focuses on education, research, law enforcement and on managing current threats through technical mechanisms such as ISP level filtering of illegal material including child pornography.
A range of awareness and education measures will focus on teaching a generation of children to be good cyber-citizens.
Conclusion
As I have set out today, this Government has a clear vision for Australia 's digital future.
To make this vision a reality, we need sound policy and leadership.
We are pursuing a coordinated approach.
We will ensure that Australians have the infrastructure, confidence, skills and regulatory environment needed to take full advantage of the Digital Economy.
By keeping an eye on the future we can create a foundation for economic prosperity for the decades to come.
Thank you
Endnotes
1. www.nicta.com.au/about
2. Internet World Stats
3. Telecommunications Today: Consumer Attitudes to take-up and use, Australian Communications and Media Authority, September 2007.
4. Source: Economic impact of the use of radio spectrum in the UK : A report by Europe Economics 16 November 2006
Thank you Gerard [Henderson, Executive Director of the Sydney Institute] and thank you for the invitation to be here today.
The Sydney Institute is an important forum for the serious discussion and debate of public policy and policy reform.
With many significant developments in my portfolio area underway, today presents a great opportunity to outline the Government's digital economy agenda.
Last week, I attended National ICT Australia's Techfest, where they were showcasing 20 outstanding research projects.
This really was an exciting glimpse of our digital future.
It was fascinating listening to these researchers talking about where they see technology taking us into the next decade.
NICTA Lab Manager, Doctor Terry Percival, talked[1] about a future where ICT addressed some of the major problems we face in the world today.
In the area of healthcare for example, he spoke of a pre-emptive system where doctors would call patients before they got sick.
Dr Percival also envisioned a much cleaner world where ICT had drastically reduced energy consumption, improved public transport, and even removed the need for work-related travel!
I suspect many people would approve of all of these developments!
No doubt, everyone in this room has heard the phrase ‘Digital Economy'.
You may have also noticed that my Department has been renamed to make this an explicit focus.
I am often asked why this Government places such an important policy focus on the ‘Digital Economy'?
The answer is that how we manage the Digital Economy will have a profound effect on our economic performance and the lives of all Australians.
Our future prosperity will be bound to the growth of the digital economy.
In essence, the ‘Digital Economy' encapsulates the framework within which increasing levels of economic activity and social interaction will take place into the future.
The convergence of technological platforms is changing the way services and applications are being delivered.
We truly are moving into a new frontier.
Around the world, policymakers are grappling with how to ensure their countries harness these benefits.
Countries that embrace them will prosper.
In many ways, the Digital Economy is already booming.
ICT is already entwined in our economic and social fabric in areas as diverse as financial markets, government services, social networking, entertainment and telephony.
Fuelled by the increasing pervasiveness and power of the internet, ICT is changing the nature of economic activity and social interaction.
New services and applications are increasingly viewed as ‘essential' by consumers and businesses.
You do not have to look far to see this.
Take the business sector as an example.
Businesses are using ICT and the internet to revolutionize their systems and processes in order to improve efficiency and promote innovation.
Old business models are giving way to new ones.
In some cases, competition is just as likely to come from overseas as down the road.
Technological change is breaking down the tyranny of distance.
Consumers are also benefiting.
They are watching IPTV and vodcasts, making travel arrangements online, enjoying cheaper phone calls through voice over IP technology and roaming through virtual worlds such as Second Life.
And not only are the services and applications changing but so too are the platforms over which they are being delivered.
‘Content' and ‘connectivity' is now available to businesses and consumers in the office or on the move.
Indeed, the ‘mobility' of services is now an accepted feature of modern day life.
Perhaps some of the most exciting possibilities in the transition to a Digital Economy are in the education and health sectors.
Schools and universities are increasingly using the internet for education and research.
Using the internet, students can remotely access audio or video recordings of lectures and better participate in distance education.
Researchers can use the internet to collaborate with colleagues around the world, accelerating the development and availability of scientific breakthroughs.
The link between investment in education and broader economic benefits is well accepted.
Equipping current and future generations with the best possible technological opportunities, will enable Australia to make an effective transition towards a knowledge-based economy.
Improvements in ICT – particularly if underpinned by the widespread availability and affordability of higher speed broadband – will further open up the possibilities for improved distance learning education.
We are also on the cusp of exciting developments in the e-health sector.
Some doctors and hospitals are already diagnosing patients remotely,
High quality video conferencing facilities allows for this via ‘real time' interaction between patients and doctors in separate locations.
The Veterans Association of America has implemented a remote patient monitoring program.
As a result of this scheme, hospitalisation has been reduced by up to 60%.
The social benefit of this type of program – which allows older people to stay at home and retain independence – is enormous.
And along with this there are huge economic savings – particularly if we project into the future and recognise that Australia has an aging population.
Broadband the Digital Driver
Harnessing the potential of the Digital Economy is critical for Australia 's long-term economic prosperity and international competitive standing.
But it will also be critical for promoting social cohesion, and even cultural depth.
Obviously, the availability and affordability of first-class internet services for all Australians is one of the key elements in harnessing this potential.
Recent statistics provide an interesting snapshot of the internet and the effect it is having on our lives.
As at March 2008, there were over 1.3 billion internet users worldwide.[2]
More and more people are going online to do business.
Over 25 per cent of people in the OECD ordered goods or services online in 2007, while over 30 per cent of the OECD population performed online banking activities.
But the internet is also helping people in more intangible ways.
45 per cent of internet users in the US reported that the internet helped them make big decisions.
And in Korea – a country where 94 per cent of households are connected – users report positive effects on their lives such as convenience, promotion of civic rights, participation in politics and an increase in leisure time.
In the 2008 Digital Future Project – which is a study of internet usage in the United States – 45 per cent of users said that the internet was important or very important in helping them to maintain social relationships.
In Australia , the most recent ABS stats show that at the end of 2007 there were 7.1 million internet subscribers in Australia .
They also show that – where available – there is an increasing demand for higher speed broadband services.
And it is not just email and banking that people are using the internet for.
Roy Morgan data shows that nearly 60 per cent of users have downloaded audio material while more than 30 per cent have either streamed or downloaded internet video.
Three years ago I spoke to experts who openly questioned why anyone would want to move video around the internet.
Yet YouTube reported recently that nearly 4 million Australians visited their site in January – up a staggering 74% from the year before.
Increasingly, the internet is being viewed by some as an essential facility – in much the same way as gas, electricity and the telephone.
A recent report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) indicated that Australians already see the internet as an essential part of their lives.
70 per cent of household consumers indicated that broadband is a “critical service for the future”.[3]
The internet is also increasingly being used as a mechanism for interaction and consultation between Government and the broader community,
Research posted last month showed that a quarter of all Australians now conduct most or all of their entire dealings with Government online.
3 in 5 people used the internet to access government services in 2007, a 20 per cent increase compared with 2004-05 usage rates.
The report found that Australians value the convenience that the internet provides in their dealings with government agencies.
All of these developments suggest that we are in the process of a profound social and economic transition.
But what role is there for Government in this transition?
The transition towards the Digital Economy represents the next frontier.
It is the Government's responsibility to ensure that Australia has the infrastructure, the confidence, the skills and the regulatory settings in place to embrace an effective transition towards a fully-fledged Digital Economy.
This Government's vision is to position Australia as a highly competitive and innovative knowledge based economy.
This vision will not be achieved by one policy in isolation however important it may be.
Over time, it will require the Government to consider a range of coordinated policy measures and responses in a range of areas.
This includes:
* ensuring that the necessary infrastructure and regulatory frameworks are in place and
* ensuring that the necessary protections are in place to enable Australians to plug into the Digital Economy safely.
The Government's vision for Australia 's transition to a Digital Economy is based on a number of clear and sound policy principles:
Australians should have access to the best infrastructure and services possible in order to maximise the potential benefits from the transition to the Digital Economy.
Connectivity should be available to all Australians irrespective of where they choose to live or work.
And the affordability of services – including for disadvantaged members of our society – is a critical element of the equation, and an important policy focus for Government.
Australians should be protected from cyber-safety and e-security threats, and assured that they will have access to new and innovative services as they emerge.
It is critical that the Government provides leadership in this area.
Not only by setting out clear and sound principles but also by getting the policy and regulatory settings right to ensure they are promoted.
I'd like to step through a number of areas of policy reform we have underway to maximise the benefits of the Digital Economy for all Australians.
Spectrum Reform
One area of particular focus for the Government is the efficient management and use of our national radio spectrum assets.
Spectrum is used for key communications in the modern world - television, mobile telephony, wireless broadband, satellite broadband, emergency services, security, logistics tracking to name but a few.
It is a core plank of our national infrastructure.
The Rudd Government recognises the importance of spectrum and intends to make sure that we maximise the potential benefits for Australian consumers and industry.
New and emerging wireless technologies deliver some obvious productivity benefits, however, spectrum also provides a huge economic benefit to a developed economy.
A recent study estimated that radio spectrum contributed 42 billion pounds to British economy in 2005–06.[4]
There is no reason to believe that the benefit would be any smaller here as a proportion of the economy.
Many other economies have already completed reviews on key radio spectrum issues and are moving into a decision-making phase.
The Australian Government also wants to progress spectrum reform.
Considerable work is now required to position ourselves so that we — and I emphasise “we” (this is not just about the Government) — can make informed judgments.
Digital TV Switchover
An area attracting particular attention is the transition from analog to digital television.
The television industry is well underway in moving to digital and production and delivery platforms and many developing countries have already made the switch or are in the process of switching to digital TV.
The Rudd Government wants to ensure that Australia is not left behind and that the switchover is completed with minimum disruption and maximum benefit for Australians.
The Government has set December 31, 2013 as the date for completing the switch-off of analog TV.
We have established the Digital Switchover Taskforce to and allocated $37.9 million for a range of measures to ensure a smooth transition.
Digital television will deliver a range of benefits for consumers including better quality picture and the provision of additional channels.
It will also deliver a national benefit as spectrum previously allocated for analog broadcasting signals becomes available for new uses.
Known as the digital dividend, some estimates put the value of this spectrum at close to $1 billion.
Spectrum realised in the switch-off of analog television broadcasts could enable the launch of new services - including wireless internet, mobile telephony and broadcasting services.
The Government has started consultation on the digital dividend and other spectrum reform issues and is committed to ensure we maximise the potential benefits of this key national infrastructure asset.
National Broadband Network
The Government's policy for a National Broadband Network has received lots of attention.
Before the election we committed to make up to $4.7 billion in order to facilitate the rollout of a high speed broadband network to 98 per cent of Australian homes and businesses.
The widespread availability and affordability of first-class broadband services is a first-order priority for the Rudd Government.
The National Broadband Network will rival the Snowy Mountain scheme in its scale and national significance.
It will provide infrastructure to transform our society and our economy – moving us confidently into the Digital Age.
The National Broadband Network will be foundation infrastructure that will support services and applications that people need now, and those innovations that will emerge in the future.
Since the release of the Request for Proposals, there has been a range of speculation by some commentators on the Government's broadband policy.
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate a couple of things about the upcoming assessment process.
This Government is committed to a genuinely competitive assessment process.
This is precisely why:
* I have appointed a Panel of Experts with a range of specialist experience to assess proposals and provide me with a recommendation
* the Request for Proposals has been designed to maximize competitive tension and encourage innovative proposals and
* we are working to ensure that proponents will have access to relevant network information to assist in the preparation of their bids.
I know there are a range of parties out there with the interest, skills and capabilities to get involved in this process and put forward seriously competitive proposals.
I encourage them to do so.
Let me also take this opportunity to reiterate another point about this process.
The Government has always recognised that it may need to consider regulatory or legislative changes to facilitate the deployment of the National Broadband Network.
The Request for Proposals invites proponents to put forward structural measures or models to address the Government's objectives of competition and a genuine open access regime.
Labor opposed the current operational separation regime that applies to Telstra because we regarded it as ineffective.
Now in Government, we have not changed our view.
We are prepared to carefully look at structural arrangements similar to those adopted in countries such as UK , NZ and Singapore .
The regulatory arrangements and structures around the National Broadband Network are a central consideration in this process.
This is why I have also called separately for submissions on what the future regulatory settings should look like.
The Government is determined to ensure that arrangements are in place to promote robust competition in the market for delivering services over the new network.
This will underpin a more innovative market that delivers new and exciting applications to Australians at prices that represent value for money for consumers and businesses.
E-Security Considerations
As I said before, the National Broadband Network will be a key driver in Australia 's transition to a fully-fledged Digital Economy.
The National Broadband Network will accelerate the rate at which Australian's are plugging into the Digital Economy.
Yet many of the opportunities that come with a connected world bring with them risks and dangers which we cannot be blind to.
There are emerging e-security threats and vulnerabilities that pose a challenge to the effective and efficient use of new technologies.
Governments and the private sector need to work together across jurisdictions to improve cyber-security, combat spam and protect privacy, consumers and minors.
Concerns about security, trust and privacy are also barriers to users buying online.
Recent OECD figures show that in the EU, over 30% of internet users do not buy online because of security concerns.
In Australia this figure is about 20 per cent.
As the most vulnerable segment of the Australian digital economy, home users, students and small businesses need to be aware of these security risks and have the tools to protect themselves from threats.
The Government has adopted an integrated approach that addresses e-security risks to Australian Government networks, critical infrastructure, home users and small businesses.
We are focusing our efforts on a number of areas.
For example, we are educating parents, children, teachers and business on the risk of online engagement and empowering them with the skills to avoid the dangers.
And we are engaging with industry to set priorities for action.
We are also making sure we are informed of emerging issues and solutions by conducting research and keeping abreast of what the rest of the world is doing in relation to cyber-safety and e-security.
Addressing these issues is a vital component in maintaining trust and confidence not only in the internet, but within the wider digital economy.
The Government has identified three priorities to provide an integrated approach to Australia's e-security.
The first of these priorities is reducing the e‑security risk to Australian Government information and communications systems.
The second is reducing the e‑security risk to Australia 's national critical infrastructure.
And the third is enhancing the protection of home users and small and medium sized businesses from elect ron ic attacks and fraud .
To ensure parents and teachers have confidence in the internet as a valuable educational and social tool – we need to address the online risks to children which is why the Government has a cyber-safety policy.
This policy focuses on education, research, law enforcement and on managing current threats through technical mechanisms such as ISP level filtering of illegal material including child pornography.
A range of awareness and education measures will focus on teaching a generation of children to be good cyber-citizens.
Conclusion
As I have set out today, this Government has a clear vision for Australia 's digital future.
To make this vision a reality, we need sound policy and leadership.
We are pursuing a coordinated approach.
We will ensure that Australians have the infrastructure, confidence, skills and regulatory environment needed to take full advantage of the Digital Economy.
By keeping an eye on the future we can create a foundation for economic prosperity for the decades to come.
Thank you
Endnotes
1. www.nicta.com.au/about
2. Internet World Stats
3. Telecommunications Today: Consumer Attitudes to take-up and use, Australian Communications and Media Authority, September 2007.
4. Source: Economic impact of the use of radio spectrum in the UK : A report by Europe Economics 16 November 2006