THE women of rural Australia have clearly rejected the business model delivering telecommunications services in this country.

A report released just before Christmas from the National Rural Women's Summit, which was held six months ago has made no bones about how country women feel about private ownership of this nation's telecommunications systems. They've given it the thumbs down.

Given that 82 women from all around Australia attended the summit, it's a fair bet this opinion represents how rural women feel.

"Government ownership of basic telecommunications infrastructure creates economies of scale and guarantees equity (should be considered an essential service)," the report says.

"Under private ownership, upgrading ageing infrastructure in regional Australia is not profitable."

It may be stating the bleeding obvious but it's true.

Reams of submissions to previous inquiries have said the same.

The question is, how should we change things to guarantee equity of telecommunications services?

Should the Government buy back the infrastructure that its privatising predecessors sold off?

Should Telstra be divided and its "poles and wires" section returned to public ownership? And how much will this cost?

Is it likely urban Australia, whose taxpayers dwell in cities that are comparatively well serviced by the current system, will agree to fund such a Government buyback and the compensation Telstra would seek?

The Government tried to make separation a condition of Telstra's bid for the broadband network but Telstra wouldn't play ball. Another of the summit's four recommendations on telecommunications policy reads: "Develop a holistic telecommunications package for all Australians, using digital technology to deliver equitable, affordable and reliable access to broadband, mobile and landline, to enable safety, business, and community sustainability.

"The package should also invest in maintenance and support to enable users to use the technology."

That's just what the government could argue it's doing by tendering out construction of a new national broadband network that will service 98 per cent of Australia.

But will that solve the problem or will it, as some experts predict, simply double the network unnecessarily in places where services are already adequate, namely cities? Why doesn't it see where that network is needed and develop it there?

That needs a woman's look, which brings me to another recommendation in the National Rural Women's Summit Report.

It recommends that governments: "Reject recommended nominations for (government) boards and advisory committees that have less than 30 per cent women in them and increase female representation by 10 per cent (on those boards) every two years until they are at least 50 per cent female."

But what's this?

The panel advising Communications Minister Stephen Conroy on commercial bids to build the national broadband network includes six men. Thankfully the chair is a woman - Patricia Scott, but without question there should be more female representation.

The National Rural Women's Summit Report contains 109 recommendations on everything from solar subsidies to flying doctor services to litigation-free community groups. Read it at http://www.ofw.fahcsia.gov.au/publications/rural_womens_summit/comm.htm