wallydownundy

Federal Opposition leader Kevin Rudd announced his intention to invest $2.7 billion from the Future Fund to build a national broadband network. (Future Fund holds final shares in Telstra and was established to cover unfunded federal pension liabilities.) Of course any Opposition policy announcements immediately draw the ire of sitting governments. This one is no exception.

Limited availability of broadband can be a major impediment to business growth. We met today with a new business prospect. This company is an Internet-only operation that owes its future growth to the continued take-up of its services on-line. For people in major cities with broadband or DSL options this isn’t an issue. Yet too many Australians are outside the reach of these big Internet pipes.

So a short term boost to on-line commerce is one guaranteed outcome. What have other countries experienced? It’s interesting to forecast the unintended consequence of strategic action. More on-line romance? Avatars with an Aussie twang? Add movies to your iTune collection? What else?

What awaits a well-wired Australia?