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Nats Support Howard's Second-class Broadband Service: Rowe. Jane Rowe ALP candidate for Gippsland Jane Rowe slammed Federal Minister Peter McGauran and the Howard Coalition Givernment’s broadband announcement saying it will deliver a second-class service for local families and ensure Gippsland’s place as a Broadband backwater. By Jane Rowe - 20th November 2007 - Back to News
NATS SUPPORT HOWARDS SECOND CLASS BROADBAND SERVICE
Federal Labor Candidate for Gippsland Jane Rowe today slammed Minister Peter
McGauran and the Howard Coalition Governments broadband announcement saying it
will deliver a second-class service for local families and ensure Gippslands place as a
Broadband backwater.
"Minister McGauran and the Howard Coalition Government are treating Gippsland families
and business as second class citizens," Jane Rowe said.
"The Coalitions cobbled together pla n only delivers high-speed fibre networks in the inner
areas of five major capital cities, leaving students and small business operators in
communities like Churchill and Yarram, [Maffra, Heyfield and Stratford] [Omeo, Lakes
Entrance and Paynesville] to struggle with an inferior wireless service.
Unlike Federal Labors high-speed fibre to the node National Broadband Network - which
will roll out to 98 per cent of Australians - wireless broadband suffers from a range of
technical problems.
"Wireless isnt up to the job and is clearly the bridesmaid to fibre optic, its that simple,"
Jane Rowe said.
"If wireless was such a great service why isnt Minister McGauran and the Coalition using it
in the inner cities, we know in our topography in Gippsland that mobile phones fail in so
many areas.
"The fact is that the performance and reliability of wireless suffers because of distance,
weather, hilly geography and congestion problems with the number of people using the
service at any one time.
Jane Rowe said "M inister McGauran and the Howard Coalition Government had been
dragged kicking and screaming into the broadband debate because an election is just
three months away and I have no doubt they will now roll out a taxpayer funded glossy
information pack to try and convince Gippsland and its peoples that they are getting a
good deal "
This is the 18 th time the Howard Coalition Government have claimed they are going to fix
Australias broadband problems and we know their record at the moment - none for 17,"
Jane Rowe said.
Labors $4.7 billion fibre to the node National Broadband Network will deliver high speed
broadband to 98 per cent of Australian homes and businesses.
"This will mean internet services up to 40 times faster than most current speeds in towns
like Traralgon and Morwell [Maffra and Rosedale] [Omeo, Orbost and Bairnsdale],"
Jane Rowe said.
"This means business, education, communication and household services on the Internet -
including entertainment - will happen in „real time right across Gippsland whether it be a
small or large town." said Jane Rowe.
END
Media Contact: Jane Rowe 0424 157 584
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: howardw@aapt.net.au
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