Big Decisions On Broadband

Newcastle Herald

Saturday June 23, 2007

LEADER

FOR many people, broadband internet offers a quick way to download movies, games and other online diversions.

But the internet in general, and high-speed broadband services in particular, promise to be as important to Australia at the start of the 21st century as railways were from the mid-19th century. Trains took people to the movies, but their real economic value lay in the way they revolutionised trade.

And so it is, 150 years later, with broadband internet.

Whatever technology or mix of technologies get the nod, it will take billions of dollars to build a truly national broadband system. The sheer cost, together with the political imperative of family-friendly pricing, virtually guarantees a substantial degree of government funding or subsidy. This need not be a problem, but it makes it doubly important to get it right the first time.

Australia cannot afford a multi-billion dollar white elephant. Avoiding one, however, requires our politicians to look well into the future. For one thing, computer power has doubled every two years for nearly 40 years and shows no sign of slowing. Any broadband system without substantial surplus capacity and the ability to easily expand it risks being rapidly rendered obsolete.

In this regard, Europe is already concentrating on "fibre to the home" broadband while the Government and Opposition alike seem happy with "fibre-optic to the node" (or the telephone exchange), with the existing copper the rest of the way.

Then there's the Government's idea of relying on wireless technology away from the big cities. Whatever the outcome, regional Australia must not be saddled with second-best. This vast and isolated continent has long battled the tyranny of distance. One beauty of broadband internet is that it swallows that distance instantaneously.

Sydney, Seal Rocks, Sandgate or Shepparton. All can be equal, with a fast, secure broadband connection.

Behind closed doors

THE University of Newcastle's handling of a Herald request for details about senior staff bonuses shows clearly why Australia's major media organisations have formed an organisation called The Right To Know Coalition in pursuit of freedom of information law reform.

As its response to The Herald's FOI request made clear, the university had withheld 71 documents and partly released another 24 documents, running to 35 pages.

These were little use, however, because each one was a sea of black ink.

Sadly, such responses are not unusual where FOI is concerned. No wonder FOI developed its sarcastic nickname, freedom from information.

The federal FOI Act was introduced in 1982 and NSW followed suit in 1989.

The laudable idea in both cases was to have public scrutiny encourage government accountability. As things stand, however, the laws appear to act the other way, making FOI an efficient gatekeeper for public sector secrets.

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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