Senator the Hon. Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy,  officially launched the first Marais-Lucas Cleanfast fibre installation system at the 4th Asia-Pacific Fibre to the Home (FTTH) Conference in Melbourne.

The minister had just delivered a speech to the conference's packed auditorium, describing the Australian government's vision for the National Broadband Network.

The launch is the culmination of a long process for Lucas, investigating the available technologies for fibre installation around the world.

Marais-Lucas Technologies Pty Ltd, a joint venture between Lucas Group and French engineering firm Groupe Marais SA, is the result of this search.

The $1.2 million Cleanfast machine launched by the minister is the first in the Asia Pacific.

It will give its first demonstrations to delegates at the Fibre to the Home Conference in Melbourne on Thursday 21 May 2009.

For full details of Cleanfast, please download the brochure here.

 Senator Conroy delivering his speech to the conference delegates.

The minister is shown the features of Cleanfast by Lucas' David Dick-Smith and Marais-Lucas managing director, Gaël Courcoux.