Sydney - Australia’s new Labor Government headed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has identified building a high-speed national broadband network as one of its top priorities.

The first step will be to reconstitute a panel of experts to review Australia's telecommunications industry and network structure, which will be asked to finalize its report by June 2008.

In the election campaign, which culminated in the end of the 11-and-a-half year reign by John Howard’s conservative government and the PM losing his own seat, Labor pledged up to A$4.7 billion (US$4.15 billion) in taxpayer funds to build the national broadband network in partnership with private enterprise.

Senator Stephen Conroy was named Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy in Rudd’s Cabinet.

Peter Garrett is Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts, which means he will oversee the government’s screen agencies and industry support.

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