Back in town: Australian Industry Group’s Peter Gostelow and Pam Mansfield.
JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
GEELONG is pushing to jump the queue for connection to Australia’s National Broadband Network, a councillor has revealed.
Cr Rod McDonald, who holds council’s economic development portfolio, said council had started talks with the Federal Government company rolling out broadband.
“We met representatives from NBN Co last month to push for early roll out in Geelong and we were well received,” Cr Rod McDonald said.
NBN Co has yet to announce its “third tier” roll out, which would include Geelong. However, the agency said residents of Little River, Meredith and Moriac would be among four per cent of Australians to receive only a fixed wireless service instead of fibre optic cable.
Cr McDonald said City Hall had already budgeted $100,000 for a regional digital strategy.
“Council is developing a digital strategy and has begun the process of engaging with NBN Co as well as regional institutions and industry bodies,” he said.
“We’ve held discussions with the Australian Industry Group (AIG) to set up a regional pilot program to advocate the benefits of broadband to SME’s within the region.”
AIG plans to run a seminar in Geelong on September 1 to help regional businesses improve their understanding of business growth opportunities with the broadband network.
Cr McDonald said a Geelong Small Business Festival next month would also emphasise the NBN roll out.
Geelong would also host a “highly regarded regional economic development conference” in October, he said.
The Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia (SEGRA) conference would feature sessions on the NBN.
Cr McDonald said the council was participating in a Canadian university research project on the development of on-line services in municipalities.
Cr McDonald’s report on his attendance at an Intelligent Community Forum in New York last month recommended setting up an internal working group for Geelong to examine broadband opportunities.
He recommended planning for a regional digital strategy through municipal lobby group G21 Alliance, which has an NBN advocacy project.
“(We must) include regional institutions and industry groups and major businesses in the engagement process.” Cr McDonald said in his report.
