Elsie Lange
McEwen MP Rob Mitchell visited a new, fixed-wireless tower in Riddells Creek today, which is ready to deliver broadband to up to 575 premises on the outskirts of the town.
The tower is one of two, with another located in Gisborne South, to connect up to 775 homes all together to the National Broadband Network (NBN).
“The importance of this is that many people haven’t been able to access any NBN at all. We’ve been fighting for about nine years to get this all up and running,” Mr Mitchell said.
“It’s been a problem through the previous government where the investment wasn’t happening, and it meant we had haves and have-nots in town.
“What we learnt through the pandemic, particularly, is the need for people to have access to high speed broadband – for kids homeschooling, for people working from home – we’ve all become masters of Zoom.”
A statement from Mr Mitchell said fixed wireless was “well-suited” to supporting regional communities, as low population densities and varied topography made delivering fixed-line services challenging.
“Residents of Riddells Creek and Gisborne South can also look forward to enjoying faster speeds on NBN fixed wireless services in the future, following the Australian government’s recent provision of $480 million in funding towards an upgrade of the entire NBN fixed wireless network,” the statement said.
“The upgrade is a key component of the Albanese government’s Better Connectivity for Rural and Regional Australia Plan, which will deliver faster broadband, expand fibre connections and improve safety and productivity by boosting mobile coverage.”
NBN Local Victorian head Emily Peel said it was a “fantastic day” for Riddells Creek and surrounding areas, because people could sign up immediately.
“We’ve had a lot of feedback about how important this was to these communities. We have been working with the community over the last number of years to overcome a number of challenges and bring these services to the community,” Ms Peel said.
“How we use the internet has significantly changed the last few years and fast broadband is critical to working from home, entertainment or running a business. I’m glad we persevered to get these installations completed.”
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the government was “dedicated to bringing Australians together”.
“From regional and rural Australia, to our inner cities,” she said.
“Our new Better Connectivity for Rural and Regional Australia Plan will ensure regional Australians are connected through faster internet and better mobile coverage.
“Our plan will deliver tangible benefits to regional Australians already, including those in Riddells Creek and Gisborne South, by improving safety, enhancing connectivity and increasing productivity through cutting-edge broadband connections.”
