Liberal: Rudd lay off the communications fund

According to Senator Billson, Labor has moved to amend the telecommunications act so it can access the $2 billion, plus interest earned, to spend on its vague, city-centric, fibre broadband proposal. The government has conceded that: “The final decision on use of the fund will be made in the context of the Government’s overall fiscal strategy.”

He claimed the key guiding philosophy behind the establishment of the $2 billion Communications Fund - plus the substantial interest stream it generates (approximately $400 million every three years) - was to help ensure all Australians have access to affordable and reliable telecommunications services regardless of where on this great continent they reside or do business.

“The spending of the fund’s resources is currently and responsibly tied to the recommendations of regular, independent reviews of the telecommunications needs of rural, regional and remote Australia. The first review is currently in train, under the chairmanship of the highly regarded Dr Bill Glasson AO,” he said.

At the same time Communications Minister Stephen Conroy is out promoting the important work of the Regional Telecommunications Review Committee, he is moving to rip the guts out of the very $2 billion Communications Fund which was set up to give life to the committee's recommendations.
Senator Conroy has failed to explain to the people of rural, regional and remote Australia how the Rudd Government plans to implement the review committee’s recommendations without the resources of the Communications Fund, claimed Billson.

“What I find particularly arrogant about all this, is the way the new Government is quick to use the old “we have a mandate” line to justify smash and grab raids such as this,” he said. “Since when was the ALP party a voice of rural, regional and remote Australia? The Coalition and the Independents remain the voices of the bush; despite claims of a Labor mandate, I’m sorry, but the numbers don’t stack up.”

He urged Labor to lay its hands off the Communications Fund and to think of the future and instead of turning its back on the bush.

“Act responsibly to ensure the resources are available to address communications needs in rural, regional and remote Australia, in perpetuity,” said Billson.