This submission represents the views of a newly formed organisation known as Public Libraries Australia. Formed to aggregate the political, service and infrastructure capacity of Australia's 1510 (ABS June 2000) public libraries, Public Libraries Australia will support and represent public libraries on a national basis. Networked across Australia there are 1510 public libraries. These are well-patronised access points for equitable access to recreational, information and educational support for Australian residents. There were 93.3 million visits made to public libraries in Australia in 1999-2000 (ABS June 2000). Public Libraries Australia has been formed to be the collective voice for this vital community-based network. In addition to public library support the organisation is supported by the Australian Local Government and Shires Association, the National Library, all State libraries and professional associations across Australia. In this article, Public Libraries Australia wishes to make comment on the aspects of the online environment where it believes that a consolidated approach to online infrastructure, connectivity and content would establish a national information distribution network through public libraries that has never been achieved in Australia.