IT might be taken with a hint of irony that federal opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull yesterday slated the Gillard government for buying “Rolls Royce”-style satellites as part of the rollout of the National Broadband Network to regional and rural Australia.
Ironic because Mr Turnbull is often criticised for his own wealth, and ironic because his party has criticised the federal government for failing to invest in regional and rural Australia.
On the surface, the $620 million price tag for two satellites seems extravagant when you consider they will service just three per cent of those covered by the nationwide rollout.
Unfortunately our country’s great expanse provides challenges in building new infrastructure. Providing a service which does not disadvantage those who live outside the eastern seaboard or other metropolitan centres has been a challenge throughout the nation’s history.
Under the $35.9 billion NBN project, fibre optic cable delivering high-speed broadband services will be rolled out to 93 per cent of Australia’s 13 million homes, schools and businesses by 2021.
The costs are significant but so are the potential benefits.
Ballarat has a distinct advantage in that our city has been chosen as one of the first cities outside the metropolitan area which will receive the new network. It also means our area is a test case.
To this end, the NBN rollout has been in particular focus in the Ballarat region where several applications for towers, which will eventually provide access to the network, have been the focus of localised opposition.
It is interesting that the towers must go through the council approval process – limiting NBN Co’s ability to impose a project which the government had so much difficulty in manoeuvring through the parliament in the first place.
Given the battle to approve the NBN, the government will get a full appreciation of how the public really feels about the project through the council processes.
This should not cloud the point that the NBN investment provides great advantages for regional and rural areas. Identifying Ballarat as one of the first locations for rollout also gives our city’s businesses and groups a headstart on the competition.
If these advantages can be realised, the investment being made will be considered invaluable.
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