Making Broadband Happen in Loddon Mallee and Grampians
Making Broadband Happen in Loddon Mallee and Grampians |
| Media release - 05 May 2006 |
| The Bracks Government is continuing to make broadband happen for provincial Victorians with $6 million to deliver better broadband services in the Loddon Mallee and Grampians regions. The Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Marsha Thomson, has called for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to develop a project which will provide these regions with greater access to affordable broadband services. "Broadband can deliver a range or social benefits as well as being essential for economic growth, especially in regional areas, but the Howard Government is failing to ensure that Australians have access to adequate broadband services." Ms Thomson said. "The Bracks Government believes Victorians shouldn't have to wait, so we are doing what we can to make broadband happen for regional Victoria. "Last year, the Australian Local Government Association released its State of the Regions report in which it estimated extending broadband access to regional areas could create 10,000 jobs and benefit Australia by $920 million a year." Ms Thomson said it was unacceptable that the broadband access needs of regional towns were either ignored. "Under this project we are aiming to stimulate investment in next generation broadband services so that regional areas have access to the best possible technology," she said. The $6 million broadband commitment from the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund is part of the Government's 2005 regional Victoria policy: Moving Forward. Making Victoria the Best Place to Live, Work and Invest. The commitment identifies the potential to extend this project state-wide. Ms Thomson said the initiative built on other projects under the Bracks Government's Broadband Framework, which has facilitated almost $200 million worth of telecommunications infrastructure investment in Victoria. She said it also ensured every Victorian Government school, hospital and police station was connected to high speed broadband services. Expressions of Interest for the project close on the 22 June 2006. |
| Expressions of Interest can be downloaded from the Victorian Government Tenders website. |
