PM: This is a good day. It's about what we're going to do for Australia, what we're going to do for Tasmania, and what we're going to do together, and it's a pleasure to be here today to announce critical milestones for the delivery of the National Broadband Network.
On 8 April, the Premier and I announced that Tasmania would be the launch state of the National Broadband Network. Today I announce that we are starting in rural and regional Tasmania, connecting the 5,000 homes and businesses with fibre-to-the-premises in the towns of Smithton, Scottsdale and Midway Point.
Why are we starting in Tasmania? Because Tasmania has a long-standing disadvantage in accessing high-speed broadband and is the logical test-bed for this nation-building project for the future. The state has the lowest proportion of households with broadband of any state and territory - 39 percent, compared with the Australian average of 52%.
The data centre opened today will house the critical operating and business support systems that will operate the National Broadband Network in Tasmania. Today's announcements demonstrate that the Australian and Tasmanian Governments are getting on with the job of delivering superfast broadband to our communities.
It marks the start of 25,000 new local jobs that will be supported by the roll out of the National Broadband Network. At a time of global economic recession, this is important nation-building work for Australia. It's important job-creation work for local communities. It's important for productivity for the future of our national economy.