The NBN4 Mildura-Wentworth Committee seeks a commitment to urgently rollout very fast broadband in the Mildura-Wentworth region.

Transcription

1 Business Case

2 The NBN4 Mildura-Wentworth Committee seeks a commitment to urgently rollout very fast broadband in the Mildura-Wentworth region. Mildura itself remains the largest regional centre in Victoria without any announced NBN rollout. Yet because of its isolation in a tri state area 550km from Melbourne, 400km from Adelaide and 1,080km from Sydney, the Mildura-Wentworth region is a nationally significant hub for agriculture, transport, industry, health, education and retail. For example, the region services outlying communities such as Broken Hill, Swan Hill and the Riverland in South Australia. infrastructure investment impacts greatly on our region s ability to deliver services such as online learning, medical and specialist services, commerce, exports, finance, professional services and tele-work. Very fast broadband will enhance regional industry and export competitiveness, improve productivity, grow community connectedness, attract investment, ensure business retention and growth, develop new industries, and foster innovation. The region s economy is worth $2.9 billion, with a large-scale agricultural and horticultural industry, and other industries including food, wine and beverage manufacturing, renewable energy and mining. Our economy and community are at a significant disadvantage to the rest of Victoria and New South Wales, as large areas of our region can only access unreliable, expensive, and slow broadband. This lack of broadband

3 Why invest in the NBN in the Mildura-Wentworth region? The Mildura-Wentworth region is an innovative and prosperous community that is a leader in the uptake of new technologies, particularly given our geographical isolation. The region has almost 60,000 people and makes up 5% of the land mass of New South Wales and Victoria (48,330km 2 ). The population is projected to grow by over 9,000 people by Mildura Airport is the busiest regional airport in Victoria with 202,179 passengers per year and 138 flights per week, with QantasLink, Regional Express and Virgin Australia running flights between Mildura and Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Broken Hill. Other significant industries include food, wine and beverage manufacturing, grain production and renewable energy development, with the region providing the best solar resources in Victoria. Tourism also generates $260 million in expenditure each year. The region has access to a large labour force of 32,784 people, primarily employed in retail (13%), agriculture (12%), health care and social assistance (12%), and education and training (8%). Known for its agricultural and horticultural industries and export capacity, the area produces the following percentage of Australia s overall produce: 98% of dried grapes 75% of table grapes 66% of almonds 48% of pistachios 24% of citrus 20% of Australia s wine grape crush 13% of carrots 10% of melons 9% of asparagus Education in the Mildura-Wentworth region The Mildura-Wentworth region delivers extensive education services across a large isolated regional area, including: La Trobe University Mildura Campus Sunraysia Institute of TAFE TAFE NSW Riverina Institute Monash Regional Clinical Medical School Over 45 schools Very fast reliable broadband is needed so that education providers, libraries, teachers and students can access

4 both local and distance education providers, and have access to the same opportunities as their urban counterparts. Healthcare in the Mildura-Wentworth region The Mildura-Wentworth region is also a hub for health services, with the only specialist services within a 200km radius. High levels of social disadvantage are putting pressure on the healthcare system and preventative health programs. For example, towns such as Dareton have an Indigenous population of nearly 36% and house a large number of Government agencies, as well as health, emergency, police and specialist indigenous and family services. Very fast broadband would therefore have a large impact upon the service provision in this area. Development and opportunities in the Mildura-Wentworth region The region has seen a number of recent developments which would greatly benefit from very fast broadband, including the: $120 million Dockside Mildura project $6.4 million Mildura Airport redevelopment $8.7 million Arts Centre redevelopment $18.3 million riverfront redevelopment $60 million Olam almond processing facility $10 million Solar Systems 1.5MW solar power pilot demonstration facility $174 million Balfour Beatty 35MW biomass power station, to be completed by mid Tertiary Structural Adjustment Fund e-learning project - Sunraysia Tertiary Education Precinct (STEP). Lamattina Beverages carrot processing facility relocation and expansion at Thurla. The implications of delaying investment in the NBN A lack of investment in very fast broadband will hamper business and industry growth in the Mildura-Wentworth region and our connectivity to other regions, capital cities and countries (particularly given our isolation). Delayed investment will also result in further negative social and economic outcomes for the Mallee region s residents, with up to 40% already being without any internet access (over 19,000 households). This is the highest percentage in Victoria and more than double the rate in Melbourne. In real terms, the Mildura Development Corporation s 2013 State of the Economy survey of businesses identified that 28% of respondents had either fair or poor internet service, with respondents identifying bringing the NBN to the region as one of the main initiatives to grow regional development in the region, with business growth currently impeded. Between the 2006 and 2011 censuses, the IT industry was one of only two industry sectors to see a decline in the region, with businesses moving to areas with very fast broadband. Without adequate broadband access, our industry, exports, community, education and healthcare all suffer. Our ability to increase productivity, competitiveness, community connectedness and to attract professionals (such as doctors and engineers) to the region is restricted. As a result, our economy and people are at a significant disadvantage. Investment in telecommunications infrastructure in the same time frame as other large regional centres is required to reverse this trend. Unexploited Broadband Opportunities A number of broadband services are in strong demand but can t be provided at all, or deployed effectively, due to a lack of investment in broadband infrastructure. For example, these services include access to digital resources for fixed and mobile users to assist in the delivery of 24/7 self service for service providers and Government departments, as well as the provision of public internet services outside commercial areas, such as cafés and libraries.

5 Existing infrastructure and strategies to support the rollout of NBN Mildura-Wentworth regional strategies Organisation Regional Development Australia NBN4 Mildura-Wentworth Committee Mildura Rural City Council Wentworth Shire Council Mildura Development Corporation Mildura Tourism Strategy Loddon Mallee Regional Strategic Plan Northern Region 2012 Mildura-Wentworth Digital Community Strategy Council Plan Information Systems Strategy The Wentworth Region Community Strategic Plan Mildura Development Corporation Strategic Plan Mildura Tourism Strategic Plan

6 Existing Broadband Infrastructure NBN: Regional Backbone Blackspots Program The Broken Hill route of the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program has five backbone access points located in the region, at Merbein, Mildura, South Mildura, Red Cliffs and Morcalla North. Telstra Telstra provides exchanges with BigPond Broadband ADSL, ADSL 2+ and both Next G and 4G (limited coverage areas) Mobile Coverage in the Mildura-Wentworth region. (see network details in table below) Actual mobile voice and mobile data coverage is significantly less with speeds often too slow to use or not available at all. The reality of our poor coverage was demonstrated in the region s response to the Department of Communications Mobile Coverage Programme Discussion paper, as submitted in February 2014 by the Member for Mallee, Andrew Broad MP. Outside of the central Mildura township the community relies on internet services with varying speeds and reliability, including ADSL, 3G mobile data and legacy satellite services. The introduction of the NBN has unfortunately resulted in a delayed rollout of broadband in the Mildura-Wentworth region, with legislation introduced with the NBN limiting the extension of existing broadband infrastructure (such as iinet s local HFC network) by more than 1km. While the HFC network is fast, it is limited in terms future speeds when compared with optic fibre. Investment in the NBN in the central area of Mildura could proceed either by a purchase of the existing HFC network infrastructure or by NBN Co constructing a separate optic fibre network. While iinet and Telstra are the largest operators, Optus and Vodafone also provide coverage in the region. iinet Having acquired TransACT, iinet has an office in Mildura and operates a hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) network. Access is limited primarily to the central area of Mildura, with the fast broadband network passing approximately 8000 properties. Telstra Network Bigpond Broadband ADSL 2+ Bigpond Broadband ADSL 4G Next G Speed Up to 20Mbps (in selected areas) and up to 8Mbps / 384Kbps in many other areas. Between 2Mbps and 40Mbps in 4G coverage areas. Coverage Dareton, Gol Gol, Merbein, Merbein South, Mildura and Red Cliffs. Curlwaa, Gol Gol, Irymple, Koorlong, Merbein, Mildura, Murrayville, Nangiloc, Ouyen, Underbool, Wentworth and Walpeup. Mildura CBD, Trentham Cliffs, Nicholas Point, Mourquong and Boeill Creek. Carwarp, Cowangie, Cullulleraine, Hattah, Irymple, Karadoc, Merbein, Mildura, Mildura Central, Mildura South, Nangiloc, Ouyen, Red Cliffs, Underbool, Wentworth, Walpeup, Kulwin and Yelta.

7 We are ready and our community supports the rollout of NBN In 2011 the NBN4 Mildura-Wentworth Committee was formed, made up of representatives from local government, economic development, utility providers, the health and education sectors, IT professionals, tourism and local businesses. The Committee has been lobbying for the early rollout of very fast broadband in our region, as well as educating the community and industry about the benefits of going online. In 2012, Mildura Rural City Council and Wentworth Shire Council adopted the Mildura Wentworth Digital Community Strategy. This Strategy focuses on our need for very fast broadband. It identifies strategies to prepare and educate the community for very fast broadband rollout and encourages the community to maximise their use of existing telecommunications infrastructure. Our community is very supportive of a very fast broadband rollout across the region, with both the Mildura and Wentworth Councils forming internal working groups to work with NBN Co, the community and utility providers to ensure a smooth rollout of infrastructure across the municipalities.

8 Jenny Grigg Chair NBN4 Mildura-Wentworth PO Box 4146, Mildura VIC 3502 Telephone: For further information click on the NBN link at: