AUSTRALIA should focus its broadband investment outside the main cities to avoid creating a city-country divide in information technology, a regional boss of global computer firm IBM says.
The world's increasing reliance on computers meant investing in "keyboard-ready" projects was as important as building roads and railways, the managing director of IBM in Australia and New Zealand, Glen Boreham, says.But the federal government needed to be aware of a possible new divide between the city and country as it prepared to set up a $43 billion national broadband network.
"In terms of rolling it out, I would like personally to see priority on regional and rural Australia," Mr Boreham told the National Press Club in Canberra.
"One of the things, quite openly, I'm concerned about, is ... we need to be cognisant of ... the digital divide. There are the haves and have-nots."
Mr Boreham said investing in "keyboard-ready" projects was just as important as "shovel-ready" projects.
"I do think the term 'shovel-ready' is indicative of our traditional mindset," he said.
"None of us can argue with the requirements to do with our roads or our rail ... but just as we need shovel-ready projects, we need keyboard-ready projects."
The $43 billion national broadband network would help more people than spending measures such as the Rudd government's $6.2 billion car industry package, he said.
"Now I'm not suggesting for a moment that's not the right thing to do, but $6.2 billion for protecting one industry, and we have a national broadband network that literally touches all of us - every state, every business large and small," he said.
"All of us can be more productive, more efficient and more innovative."
australianit.news.com.au
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