Broadband is not just infrastructure - it represents the hopes, the dreams, the survival and the future of young people, farmers, teachers, business people, entrepreneurs, students, the elderly, the sick.
It represents a creative nation which has been waiting to be born since the Keating Government was thrown out - along with the visionary Creative Nation policy. WASTE!
Before the Internet took hold, Paul Keating recognised the value of digital "CONTENT" and "CREATIVITY" in a digital economy.
So when I discovered Paul Keating was at the University of Queensland's Centennial Oration by Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz recently I had to ask why no one ever took up the Creative Nation vision since.
"They don't understand the information economy," he said.
Creative Nation talked about CD ROMs and such now replaced by websites and blogs and interactivity yet to be created and enjoyed - such as augmented reality.
Creative Nation captured my imagination in 1994 - I was an arts reporter for the Courier-Mail furiously writing stories that almost snared Naisda away from Sydney to live in Brisbane's Powerhouse.
A lot of good gets thrown out when governments change - as public servants know.
As I listened to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy at a community meeting this week, I tossed around my objections to the silly idea of a general internet filter and my fear of losing the NBN - just like we lost Creative Nation. I don't know whether the Opposition's broadband policy will work. I do know that the NBN is underway. I believe it's as crucial to the future of this country as addressing climate change.
I've waited for someone to come along again who could resurrect the Creative Nation vision. Now there's a chance - the National Broadband Network is that chance. Funny but ordinary people - like those at Stephen Conroy's community meeting at Mansfield State School - do understand the digital economy. They LIVE it! The loss of the NBN will be deeply felt by many. WASTE!
The Government's announced $11B Telstra deal retrains all of Telstra's linesmen to work on broadband fibre optic instead of copper which is being pulled out of the ground.
The Government has even forked out for Telstra to meet its "universal service obligation" to provide equitable services to regional and isolated communities - THAT is impressive!
We want migrants to move west don't we? Well they need infrastructure too to secure their future and become productive citizens. I'd move if there was broadband.
Telstra abhors the imposition of the universal service obligation because there's no profit - the deal protects Telstra shareholders!
Considering Telstra's plummeting fortunes - people tossing in fixed lines (copper or the twisted pair) - this is like a lifeline, isn't it?
Conroy said the new broadband plans offered by Primus, Telstra, Optus, iiNet vary from $30-$130 for voice & data - 25 MB download speeds but only 3MB upload speeds.
Townsville, Albion, Ascot, Nundah, Toowoomba, Springfield Lakes as well as Armidale and Brunswick rollouts are next. Townsville will be live in March-April.
The NBN workers continue the rollout despite the uncertainly of not knowing if they have jobs after Saturday - if a Tony Abbott Government is elected.
Are we a "young" and "vital" nation? It doesn't feel like it. ALL this negativity. WASTE!
Meanwhile, there's a school in Gladstone with kids learning Korean who are looking forward to video conferences with Korean classrooms - video conferencing requires fast upload as well as fast download which is not possible often on wireless, as being offered by the Opposition.
Creativity is forged by hardship but in the end there's got to be OPPORTUNITY. Jericho, Emerald, Darwin are on the same map as Sydney and Melbourne and Brisbane - the NBN map.
I guess I'm the only one who felt the loss of Creative Nation. I even kept the press release and book.
I DON'T want to hear about the debt Mr Abbott - I want to hear about investment in the future, in people, in infrastructure, in a Creative Nation which will pay it's debts by building a new economy.
