By Lorna Brett

Julia Gillard is set to reveal her government’s plan today to widen the coverage of the national broadband network (NBN) to include 93% of the Australian population; an increase of 3% on the initial number promised by the Labor party.

It is believed the announcement will come during Gillard’s trip to Perth today, her first visit to the city since the August 21 election was called. The change to the policy will mean that an additional 300,000 homes will be added to the fibre optic network.

According to the Independent Weekly, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said there is a great deal of interest in the NBN in regional communities. Specifically, he cited that half of all eligible Tasmanians have signed on to the NBN, with the towns of Scottsdale, Smithton and Midway Point being the first to go online early this month.

"The cynics, the doomsayers claimed we were only going to get 10 per cent or 15 per cent [on the network]. We've already got 50 per cent signed up," Conroy said.

In an effort to improve up-take rates even more, Conroy is proposing that Australians are automatically connected to the NBN, unless they choose to opt-out.

"We believe that the most efficient way to deliver that service is to have that process," he said.

Opposition says Aussies don’t need speed

The Coalition is standing behind its decision to axe Labor’s proposed NBN should it be elected to power on August 21.

An opposition spokesman, Ian Macfarlane, said his government would introduce its own internet program as Labor’s plan is too pricy, reports the ABC.

"What we won't do is waste $43 billion building an internet service that most people won't use. People don't need those sorts of speeds to operate their internet,” Macfarlane said.

"We will be introducing a program which will ensure that all people in Australia have access to good internet speeds, so much faster than we've got now," he added.

Macfarlane’s comments have mayors of remote areas concerned, with many believing that the scrapping of the NBN will leave telecommunication services in bush seriously lacking.