David Hawker

Towns to miss out on Broadband

RUDD CONFIRMS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WESTERN VICTORIANS WILL MISS OUT ON
HIGH SPEED BROADBAND

The Rudd Government has confirmed that tens of thousands of residents in Western Victoria will not have access to proposed high speed broadband, Federal Member for Wannon, David Hawker, said today.

In the statement on the planned broadband network released by the Rudd Government, in the section titled "Specifications", the Rudd Government reveals the new $43 billion network will only be "extending to towns with a population of around 1,000 or more people".

"According to population figures provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics communities such as Avoca, Bushfield, Coleraine, Dartmoor, Dunkeld, Halls Gap, Mortlake, Lake Bolac, Penshurst, Timboon and Skipton will all miss out," Mr Hawker said.

"The ABS has identified 20 specific communities in Western Victoria that have under 1,000 people but there are countless more smaller communities that will miss out.

"There are already concerns that this Rudd Labor pipedream is completely unviable and could force average parents to pay up to $200 for a monthly connection," Mr Hawker said.
"Labor is determined to use taxpayer's money to build a broadband network which no-one can afford.

"Given the size of the investment it is unbelievable that so many residents in regional areas are going to miss out on high speed broadband.

"Effectively, Rudd has admitted he wants to create a two speed economy. He has reneged on his election promise to provide high speed broadband to 98 per cent of Australians."

Local communities that will miss out on the high speed broadband include Allansford, Avoca, Bushfield-Woodford, Coleraine, Dartmoor, Derrinallum, Dunkeld, Halls Gap, Lake Bolac, Lismore, Macarthur, Mortlake, Noorat, Penshurst, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Skipton, Snake Valley, Timboon and Willaura.