Regional Telecommunications Review

The Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee, chaired by Dr Bill Glasson AO, assessed telecommunications services in regional, rural and remote parts of Australia. The Committee's report, known as the Glasson Report, was tabled in Parliament on 15 October 2008.  Further information on the Review is available at the Committee's website.

The Australian Government responded to the recommendations of the Review, on 5 March 2009.  In line with the recommendations the Government announced.

• The Digital Regions Initiative will fund innovative broadband applications to improve education, health and emergency services in regional areas through innovative broadband programs co-funded with all tiers of government.
• The continuation and enhancement of the Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme for Australians living and working in areas without terrestrial mobile coverage, including the replacement of older handsets for those without coverage and making more handsets available to emergency services and health organisations with a demonstrated need.
• A refocused Indigenous Communications Program to improve basic telecommunications services, basic public internet access and training to remote Indigenous communities.

Statement of response

Further information about these programs is available in the Australian Government's full Statement of Response to the Glasson Report.

• Statement of response (PDF, 121.9 KB)
• Statement of response (RTF, 253.0 KB)