Govt takes issue with CEDA report

The federal government has defended itself over concerns raised by the Centre for Economic Development Australia (CEDA) about the availability, speed and price of broadband in Australia.

The report, released yesterday by Independent think-tank CEDA, castigated the Government's record on infrastructure investment.

It highlighted that Australia is ranked 23 out of 32 OECD countries when it comes to broadband access rates, and last when it comes to download speeds.

"It is incorrect to suggest that government policy has turned Australia into a technology laggard," said a spokesperson for Communications Minister Helen Coonan in a prepared response to the report.

While little was said about current levels of broadband access, the spokesperson pointed out that the government was spearheading several policy initiatives to tackle the broadband divide in the near future.

Those promises include the Australia Connected initiative announced by the Prime Minister last month, in which the government promises that 99 percent of the Australian population will have access to broadband at speeds of 12mbps or greater.

"To reach almost 100 percent coverage at such high speeds for a country of our size and population spread, and to deliver service to the country at metro-comparable prices is a world first," the spokesperson said.

The Government is spending AU$958 million, to be spent in conjunction with AU$917 million being contributed by the Optus and Elders joint venture, on a new national high-speed wholesale network which aims to cover 9.5 million premises over 400,000 square kilometres.

The spokesperson also touted the government's Expert Taskforce set up to assess two commercial proposals for a national fibre-to-the-node network, "without the need for taxpayer funding".

"Following an open and transparent examination, the government will legislate to ensure the nation is getting a top class service which is affordable and complements other aspects of Australia Connected," the spokesperson said.