Like drron I have experience in this area. You have come up with some interesting situations but I can't see any particular use where the NBN is really a make-or-break thing. For example, a low res video chat is fine. Transferring high res medical data- that is fine in theory. In practice in the sorts of situations where this matters, for example stereotactic brain surgery, the patient needs to come to a tertiary referral centre anyway and the local nurse can confirm increased brain pressure by looking at the back of the patients eyes. Multiple clinicians? Again, skype, conference call. Remote data? Like ECG traces? Not bandwidth intensive. Where it really matters we have been using simple techniques for years with no issues (eg faxing ECGs and initiating treatment after a phone call). unfortunately in the hospital I work in, there aren't ANY computers in the operating suite and no wireless network! The laptops have to be wheeled in on a 6 foot trolley apparatus! No phone reception! 32 billion dollars is being spent on the NBN when I literally can't get an SMS or text email sent to me at work! Now can you see why it drives us mad? And let's not even mention indigenous health, lack of dental coverage, TB in the Torres strait or any number of worthy causes that 32 billion could help make better...
