Joint with Bill Shorten MP, Leader of the Opposition, Stephen Jones MP, Shadow Minister for Regional Communications and Daniel Parsell, Labor Candidate for Fisher.

A Shorten Labor Government will help deliver more jobs and support the creation of new businesses in Queensland by investing $5 million to support the establishment of a new international internet submarine fibre cable link to the Sunshine Coast.

The submarine cable project, being led by the Sunshine Coast Council in partnership with the State Government, is forecast to create up to 864 new jobs and stimulate $927 million worth of new investment in Queensland.

For the first time Queensland businesses and internet providers will be able to bypass Sydney and connect directly to the 9,600 kilometre Japan-Guam-Australia-South submarine cable, via a 550 kilometre undersea fibre cable that is expected to be built by 2020.
 
The international cable link will be Australia’s fastest telecommunications connection to Asia and second fastest to the United States. This means improved broadband speeds, reduced latency, and increased productivity.
 
The former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, was a strong supporter of the project, in September 2015 telling the Sunshine Coast Daily "I think a subsea cable landing on the Sunshine Coast would be very good for both the Sunshine Coast and for Australia" and "I think it's a terrific idea. It's got a huge amount of merit."

Scott Morrison should now get on board and support this important investment for Queensland.
 
Labor will continue to announce policies to support the further diversification of the Queensland economy, and the development of skills and jobs in high growth industry sectors.