Regional guarantees needed on broadband plan

The Federal Government must commit to rolling out it’s new national broadband infrastructure network in rural and regional Australia first, according to NSW Nationals Senator Fiona Nash. “The Nationals have long recognised the need for faster broadband in the regions. Labor’s plan is alarmingly short on detail in relation to the rollout in regional Australia,” Senator Nash said. “The Government has costed its policy at over $40 billion, but it is yet to say which regional Australian communities are among the ten per cent of the population to be denied the premium Fibre To The Premise (FTTP) service.” “If the Government is going to commit over $40 billion to rolling out a new infrastructure network, regional Australia should be first cab off the rank. The regions deserve metro comparable access to fast broadband – under no circumstances should a roll out to the cities, which already have reasonable access to broadband, come first. Senator Nash said the Government should consider implementing a three tiered system, where 90 per cent of people get FTTP, 5 per cent would get Fibre To The Node (FTTN), and five per cent satellite/wireless. “This would allow the Government to keep its original pledge of 95% Fibre To the Node,” Senator Nash said. “This three tiered approach would minimise the number of rural and regional Australians relying on wireless and satellite.” “The Government must immediately give rural and regional Australians an iron-clad commitment that they will come first in the national broadband rollout – anything else is unacceptable.”

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