Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner, today announced the Rudd Government is working with Telstra to deploy the Cisco TelePresence system as part of the Government’s teleconferencing project for which funding was announced last November.

Lindsay Tanner said: “The purpose of the teleconferencing project is to reduce the need for travel for hundreds of meetings that government officials are required to attend each year.”

“The total cost of the TelePresence project is $13.8m over four years and it is expected to deliver a significant reduction in travel costs, improve productivity and lower the impact of carbon emissions.”

The TelePresence project will provide secure, life-size high-definition video facilities connecting various government locations around Australia. The system will be used in inter-jurisdictional meetings, including Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and Ministerial Council meetings.

Installation of the facilities is due to commence at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Office at Treasury Place in Melbourne in the coming months, followed by a Parliament House facility in Canberra later this year. The implementation plan will eventually see TelePresence facilities rolled out to more than 20 government locations across Australia.

Lindsay Tanner said: “Gone are the days of poor sound quality and fuzzy images making video conferencing more trouble than it’s worth. TelePresence offers big screens, with high definition sound making the option of actually choosing to hold a meeting using this technology a real and cost-effective alternative to getting on a plane.”

“Of course, TelePresence is not a suitable replacement for all face-to-face meetings, however given the current economic circumstances we face as a result of the global finance crisis, the Rudd Government remains committed to reducing wasteful, inefficient spending practices that flourished under the Howard Government and the implementation of TelePresence facilities across Australia is another way in which we are delivering on that promise.”