Broadband a social equity issue for Labour Party

Labour communications spokeswoman Clare Curran says she hasn't yet decided whether it would make sense to follow Finland and give people a "legal right" to broadband.

Broadband is available everywhere in New Zealand, but the type of service and its price depends on whether it can be delivered through landlines or cable, mobile networks or only by satellite.

The issue was one of many canvassed in a "wiki" following a public meeting organised by Ms Curran to thrash out Labour's policy on open government.

Ms Curran says closing the "digital divide" is as important as closing the wage gap between Australia and New Zealand. "I certainly think in terms of it being a social equity issue, that it is absolutely critical.

"Our policy will reflect the fact [broadband] will be much more affordable and accessible to all New Zealanders."

Labour has indicated it would make more use of "Web 2.0" technologies to encourage more public participation in policy making, but party leader Phil Goff indicated that would not involve using electronic voting to put decision-making directly in the hands of the public.

Inland Revenue last year set up a wiki that let people give their views on proposed changes to the student loans system. Under the former Labour government, police did the same when consulting on possible changes to the Police Act.

Southern Illinois University professor Stanford Levin, who spoke at a conference on Universal Access Obligations hosted by Wellington's Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation just before the Labour Party meeting, says policy-makers around the world are under pressure to include broadband as an "essential service".

But he says it is not always clear whether they are concerned with ensuring broadband is available to all, or used by all.

- © Fairfax NZ News