The community-building capacity of public internet access received another blow under the Howard Governments budget with no recognition for the need for public internet access services to being maintained, particularly in rural and regional Australia.
The Howard Government is content to let the corporate knowledge and experience of many committed people built up over the years in community internet access projects just evaporate overnight.
Although many of the projects funded under the Networking the Nation were ad hoc and unfocussed, there was an opportunity for the Howard Government to rectify this and invest in public internet access, including de-linking the funding with the proceeds from the sale of Telstra.
However, in a spiteful exercise, the Howard Government has thumbed its nose at these programs, leaving no alternative other than many of these centres to close in the future.
For many Australians, with still more than 40% not having internet access at home, this means being cut off from government services online, financial services, community information and potential e-learning opportunities.
This proves that the Howard Government’s commitment to public internet access and connectivity generally has been wholly and solely linked to a Telstra sale bribe.
Contact: Adina Cirson – 0418 488 295 or 02 6277 3334
