Yesterday Kevin Rudd announced his decision to roll out a superfast fibre-optic broadband network to 90% of Australian homes and businesses. The 100 mbps target speed blasts our current 20-something mbps out of the water and a 12 mbps wireless network will have you downloading porn YouTube videos to your iPhone faster than you can plug your headphones in.

It's a bold decision to announce you're spending $43 Billion on anything at all considering the economic downturn is only just wrapping its claws around our necks and has yet to start choking. However, up to 49% will be funded by the private sector with the government investing $4.7b now and A$20b from a national infrastructure fund and the sale of bonds later.

An infrastructure plan like this one is a giant and courageous step forward for Australia and will allow for the obvious increase in telecommunications speed and quality. Malcolm Turnbull has criticised the plan for not being viable but if the South Koreans are aiming for 1gbps by 2012 and you throw enough money at something it's bound to work, right? Right?

Bring on streaming HD video content and lag-free multiplayer gaming. Oh, and somebody call the guys at OnLive. Tell 'em we're back on.