The Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee will hold a series of public consultations around the country to examine telecommunications services in regional, rural and remote parts of Australia.

 

"Over the next three months the committee will be conducting consultations in 19 large and small regional and remote communities across Australia, as well as a number of capital cities," Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Senator Stephen Conroy said.

 

"These meetings will provide an important opportunity for a wide range of members of the community to contribute their views and have their voice heard on the issues that affect them.”

 

The start of the review coincides with the roll out of the National Broadband Network (NBN) which the Federal Government has pledged will deliver direct fibre to the home service 93 per cent of the population while ensuring that satellite services will serve the remaining 7 per cent.

 

The committee will hold its first public meetings in Toowoomba, Moree and Bourke on 19-20 September 2011.

 

The committee will report back to government with its findings by 5 March 2012.

 

For more information on the 2011-12 Regional Telecommunications Review, including details of public meetings, visit the committee's website www.rtirc.gov.au