'We are at the first step'

PHIL REID/Dominion Post

WIRED NATION: Communications Minister Steven Joyce said it was too early to say whether it might be useful to hold a "telecommunications hui", as suggested by the Telecommunications Users Association to discuss the government's $3 billion fibre network plan.

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Communications Minister Steven Joyce says he is looking forward to being part of a Government that could put National's plan for a fibre network into action.

Speaking to NZ InfoTech shortly before being sworn in as minister, Mr Joyce said it was too early to say whether it might be useful to hold a "telecommunications hui", as suggested by the Telecommunications Users Association to discuss the $3 billion fibre plan.

"The first steps are simply to take the advice, bring myself up to speed, get the input from the interested parties and then work together with [Infrastructure Minister] Bill [English] to put it all together," Mr Joyce said. "We are literally at the first step."

ACT Party leader Rodney Hide has meanwhile confirmed he would not stand in the way of the Government fulfilling its broadband mandate, despite ACT's opposition to the proposed investment.

"Our view before the election was that it was a bad idea. That hasn't changed, and we look forward to discussions. But we have agreed to support their supply and confidence, so essentially they have the money for their broadband plan."

Before the election, deposed National Party communications spokesman Maurice Williamson said he believed $3 billion – half of which would come from taxpayers – would be sufficient to provide fibre connections to three-quarters of homes and at least as many businesses within six years.

Mr Hide says he does not know how serious the Government is about the proposal.

"We have just been concentrating on our confidence and supply agreement. What I would say is John Key is very committed to keeping his word – I guess that is something."

Labour heavyweight Shane Jones – who chaired the select committee that examined the unbundling of Telecom – was appointed opposition infrastructure spokesman. Mr Jones said it was too early to say whether it would fall to him to critique the Government's broadband plan.

Former communications minister David Cunliffe relinquished Labour's communications and IT portfolio to Clare Curran, newly elected MP for Dunedin South and 32nd on Labour's list. Ms Curran is a public relations executive, who returned to New Zealand in 2002 after 14 years in Australia, and set up her own communications consultancy, Inzight Communications.

"It is a portfolio for the future. We have got strong, solid policy in the area and I intend to build on that," she says.

TUANZ chief executive Ernie Newman is confident National will build the fibre network.

"I think we want to be positive at the moment.

"I think that the commitment that the National Party made during the campaign to ultrafast broadband was endorsed and reiterated by so many of its candidates that I think it is firmly entrenched in the package of promises that were made.

"It was the first policy they announced in April and I am very confident they are going to follow through."

Mr Newman says Mr Joyce's experience as a broadcasting entrepreneur shows he is comfortable dealing with "new age electronic communication".

Mr Joyce is a former chief executive of RadioWorks. He overhauled the online business of Jason's Travel Media as chief executive of the publishing company, after it listed on the NZAX junior market in 2005, turning it into New Zealand's second-largest online accommodation booking service.

The revamp included spending millions of dollars acquiring Internet businesses.

- © Fairfax NZ News