First you could listen to the ABC Radio National Program Background Briefing and figure it out, or read below:
* 40% of Australians live outside the big 5 cities. This means that private sector companies (which now includes our lost Telstra) can't be bothered to build infrastructure there as there's not enough return on investment. This is why there's a subsidy for installing satellite internet connectivity.
Therefor one company (NBN Co - the governments co.) putting in ALL the infrastructure means they can make money on the big 5 cities to help offset the price of supporting the 'rural' sector.
* being owned by the government means we break the monopoly that Telstra has as our main telco. What a great move that was of the Howard Gov' to sell OUR telco to the private sector. Where the profits (3.7 BILLION! in 2008) from our telco usage pay the guy running the co. fees like 13 million. Money that could have been spent on funding the NBN or improving our network in other ways.
proof of how great a move it was to sell Telstra - well now they're being taken to court for monopolistic behaviour
* our health sector is Australia's BIGGEST employer, and I would figure many people feel or know of the pressure that system is already under. 70% of the health budget goes to treating people with chronic illness - as our population ages we need smarter methods for consulting with patients who be widespread and obviously part of that 40% of Australians who live outside the big 5 cities and therefor not handy to more expert consultation services.
It's true, this project IS expensive but Australia has a unique problem.
Compare countries like Japan & Korea where [south] Korea has a population density of 500 people per square kilometer to Australia where we have 2.8 people per sq. kilometer.
It's obvious that the cost of infrastructure just on a per capita (person) basis is going to be expensive. If we allow it to be stratified into those in the [big 5] cities getting the creme de la creme of internet connectivity whilst the rural dwellers get left behind we've been more than simply neglectful.
Not only is it simply some left behind family and farmers out there, it's nearly HALF of all Australians. It's elderly people needing health services, it's children needing/deserving access to education services.
The neglect of the farming sector is sad enough as it is, the kind of time and energy that should (could) be devoted to rural issues like water quality/supply, forest and habitat conservation, research into plant and animal production techniques / development / requirements and the afore mentioned health and education all demand that this area of Australia should actually be catered to FIRST not last! THese people feed us and it's the children that leave the farm and move to the cities that then vote about these issues when they are adults. So regardless of their living location they're still IN Australia and still dealing with *national* Australian problems.
The lucky country will fall apart because luck isn't enough. Luck runs out!
If we don't get smart we'll get bought out, over run, run down and most definitely left behind or if we're lucky become the hired help for the countries that OWN our farming land and hi rise buildings.
Get smart and support the National Broadband Network. Information is power and we need the empowerment of that information distribution technology.
