A majority of Australians back the National Broadband Network (NBN), according to researchers at Swinburne University of Technology. The results of its study present are a blow for the Coalition, which has backed scrapping the NBN.
According to report findings by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCI) at Swinburne University, 74.5 per cent of Australians think the NBN is a good idea while only 8.9 per cent think it’s bad.
The NBN found the strongest support in Australians aged 18-34, with 52 per cent strongly agreeing with it and a further 29 per cent saying it was a good idea. Support dropped to 76 per cent in the 35-49 age bracket and 73 per cent in consumers aged 50 and above.
According to the authors, the results came from a telephone interview of 1000 randomly selected people. The surveys took place between September-October 2009.
The results come as the Coalition calls for the scrapping of the NBN if it comes to power. The move was confirmed by Liberal Party leader, Tony Abbott, during his budget reply speech last week.
But it wasn’t all good news for the Government with 60 per cent of interviewees calling for either less or no change to the level of government regulation on the Internet.
Around 96 per cent believed children’s content on the Internet should be restricted by parents and 82 per cent said it was a school’s role. Only 59 per cent said it was an ISP’s responsibility and 58 per cent called for Government intervention.
