Media Release
Launch of 2030 Communications Vision project
Everyone must commit to driving Australia to the forefront of the communications age if Australians want to retain their relative standard of living, a group leading small business, communications, regional and consumer representatives said today.
The representatives of business, local government, regional communities, telcos and consumer representatives came together to launch the Communications Vision 2030 project, an initiative to shape a digital vision and set of goals for Australia to achieve global digital age leadership.
The group announced it would convene a policy seminar early next year, bringing together a wide range of experts and stakeholders to discuss a pathway to national digital economy leadership by 2030.
This will include setting interim goals for 2020 to begin reversing Australia’s slide down international digital comparison tables.
“This is not something that the Federal Government should be expected to do on everyone’s behalf,” Macquarie Telecom CEO David Tudehope said.
“Everyone must be willing to play their part if Australia is to get to the forefront of the great economic and social opportunities presented by the digital economy,” Mr Tudehope said.
“If Australia wants still to enjoy living standards in the top tier of first world nations in the middle of the 21st century, there is no choice but to be at the forefront of technology across all aspects of life and society,” he said.
“There are two reasons regional communities need to embrace and drive these changes,” Chairman of the Hume Regional Development Australia Committee Mark Byatt said.
“Firstly, all Australians need to participate to ensure there is not a digital divide between city and country that, ultimately, will be a cost dragging down everyone.
“But secondly, the opportunities for local government services to be transformed by integrated technology are enormous, and local governments will need to transform the delivery costs of basic services as the aging population creates ever increasing new demands on the other services provided at the local level.
COSBOA Executive Director Peter Strong said the small business sector also faced greater opportunities than ever before thanks to the digital economy levelling the competitive playing field.
“But the other side of that coin is that many face international competition for the first time, and if the costs of communication for Australian SME are not on a par with those overseas, our economic engine room will never be able to get to full speed.”
The voice of consumers has to be at the centre of the transformation if the vision of a world-leading Australia was to be realised, ACCAN CEO Teresa Corbin said today.
“Studies have shown that greater access to broadband gives consumers increased job opportunities and relates positively to economic growth,” Ms Corbin said.
“Access to broadband needs to remain affordable so Australians can easily access the internet and contribute to the digital economy.”
“The transition to high speed broadband and future technologies needs to be done in a way that doesn’t leave anyone behind, rich, poor, young, old, urban-dwelling or regional.”
ENDS