Resourcing them to provide online information and services is a vital link to an equitable and successful future for all the citizens of our country. I am only too pleased to Lobby for libraries . It is essential for Australia's development as a prosperous and vibrant nation that its peoples' curiosity and eagerness for knowledge are well-catered for. Information is fast becoming the most vital resource in a country blessed with many natural resources. But accessing information requires a very different infrastructure from that required for other less ethereal resources.
Libraries are at the coal face of the information infrastructure.
They play a crucial role in ensuring that all Australians, not just those who can afford it, have the opportunity to educate themselves further. With the rise of new telecommunications technology, the role of libraries is becoming still more important. Interactive communication networks make education more immediate and accessible for every Australian. The challenges of making these new technologies available to people in regional and remote areas of Australia cannot be overestimated. To ensure that all Australians are well-placed to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the development of the 'information superhighway', libraries everywhere need themselves to have access to the telecommunications infrastructure being rolled out across Australia.