Copeland Gordon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Copeland Gordon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:629;Page:1142] 
5.  
GORDON COPELAND (United Future) 
 to the  
Minister of Communications 
: Does he stand by the Government’s target to get New Zealand into the top half of the OECD for broadband uptake by next year when New Zealand is currently 22nd out of 30 countries for broadband; if so why? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Communications) 
: 
 Yes the Government set an ambitious target to be in the top quarter of the OECD by 2010 and an interim stretch goal to meet the average of the OECD by 2007. Despite progress in some areas that interim target appears unlikely on present trends to be met. As outlined in the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday New Zealand is lagging behind on many broadband indicators. The Government considers that those results are unsatisfactory. Therefore we are addressing the policy legislative and regulatory settings—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Would all members be seated. Would the Minister please be seated. The Minister’s response is far too long and we could not hear it anyway because of the barracking. So would we please now move to the supplementary question. 
Gordon Copeland 
: When the Prime Minister said yesterday that the Government will address the policy legislative and regulatory settings surrounding broadband as a matter of urgency does that mean that broadband will be within the means of ordinary New Zealanders by the end of this year? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: The objectives of the Government’s digital policy are clearly set out in the Digital Strategy and they are for all New Zealanders to have access to broadband that is cheap fast and available. 
Maryan Street 
: What is the Government already doing to improve broadband uptake in New Zealand? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: First the Digital Strategy launched last year represents a $400 million commitment to boosting demand in the sector. It includes the Broadband Challenge the Community Partnership Fund the Advanced Network for research and the Government Shared Network. Second we are upgrading the speed and decisiveness of the regulatory process through the Telecommunications Amendment Bill. Third we have an urgent regulatory stocktake under way and we will be announcing further action by the middle of this year. 
Gordon Copeland 
: Is the Minister aware that 85 percent of small businesses in Australia report efficiency gains through broadband use whereas almost every small business in New Zealand is without broadband and if he is aware of that why did the Government not take action on that matter years ago? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: It is obvious that the Government has taken action over the last 5 years and that stands in complete contrast to the actions of the Opposition when in Government.  
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I seek leave to table two documents. One is dated 6 May 1998 and is a report to the Treasurer on these issues and the second is a speech from 4 August 1998 supporting the deregulation of this industry all of which the National Party promptly forgot. 
Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.