Coonan calls for clever broadband proposals
The extra money will come from the Clever Networks fund. Coonan has previously asked for proposals on how to use the AU$878 million Broadband Connect package. Both are part of the overarching Connect Australia program.
Clever Networks comes from the same general pool of funding as Broadband Connect, but is more focused on improving the delivery of essential health and education services in the bush through the use of technology, particularly broadband.
In a statement pre-empting comments tonight at a telecommunications industry dinner in Sydney, Coonan said she was releasing guidelines for attracting funding.
"I can announce that applications for the first round of grants will close on 28 November 2006," she said.
As with the previous Broadband Connect call, with this new funding Coonan is encouraging the industry to partner to attract funding.
"A consortium approach is being encouraged with Clever Networks to support partnerships and collaborations to deliver projects of sufficient scale and scope to build on our earlier successes," she said.
Coonan added additional investment in the program would come from other levels of government.
"The Australian government funding will be at least matched by investment from other levels of government, the private sector and local communities," she said.
Coonan listed the following examples of services that could attract funding under Clever Networks:
- Assisting school students to access multimedia learning tools
- using technology to enable bush hospitals to access advice in emergencies
- enabling emergency services to obtain current weather forecasts during a bushfire