Senate Nationals amend bill in order to prevent axing of bush telecom fund

A $2 billion fund specifically set up to enhance telecommunications in rural Australia has won a reprieve in the Senate from the Rudd Government axe, according to NSW Nationals Senator Fiona Nash. The Government’s Nation-building Funds Bill 2008 was successfully amended by the Opposition today to prevent the transfer of the Communications Fund to the Building Australia Fund. Senator Nash said the Nationals had fought hard in the previous Government to secure the Communications Fund which is designed to future-proof telecommunication services in regional and rural Australia. “What the Rudd Government is trying to do is abolish our fund and put the money towards its National Broadband Network.” “To add insult to injury, there is no requirement from Labor that the broadband rollout start outside the cities, and it could by many years before rural and regional Australia benefits, if ever.” A Select Committee interim report on Labor’s broadband plans earlier this week said a significant focus towards non metropolitan areas is needed if the policy was to deliver a fair deal for country Australia. The amended Nation-building Funds Bill now returns to the House of Representatives. Media contact: Murray Lees 0417 406 338

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