Following the discovery that the West Coast was to receive satellite-only NBN, West Coast Council led a community campaign requesting the NBN Co and the Government reconsider the options available to the area.
Community and business leaders indicated to Council their concern that a low-quality, unreliable satellite-only NBN service would have a disastrous impact on business and investment on the West Coast, as well as education and health services. Satellite-only NBN would be detrimental to the efforts of the West Coast to grow a sustainable, dynamic and resilient business sector, as highlighted in the West Coast Community Plan 2025.
Taking a leadership role Council commenced lobbying all tiers of government and political parties.
Council believed there were alternatives available to enable a mix of NBN technologies to be delivered to the West Coast, including the potential for using existing State-owned fibre infrastructure.
The Council was joined by other major West Coast businesses in the campaign and the partnerships formed showed the NBN Co and the Federal Government that the West Coast was serious about securing a high level of service for the region.
Council facilitated a public forum to provide the community and stakeholders a chance to openly discuss the proposed satellite-only NBN technology the region will receive with both government and NBN Co representatives.
The well-attended public forum made clear the community and industry concerns and gave our political representatives no option but to reconsider the satellite service.
Council held the strong belief that by creating partnerships and looking outside the current frameworks for NBN connections a solution could be found.
After lengthy negotiations, commitments by both major parties for an improved NBN service to the region were made, including a key role by the Tasmanian Government to provide in-kind support via use of their existing fibre infrastructure.
This change in policy at Federal level, along with a partnership between State and Federal Governments, saw a commitment to bring fibre to the node NBN to Queenstown, Rosebery and Zeehan, with Strahan to receive fixed wireless.
“With the mix of technologies, the West Coast will be on a level playing field when it comes to attracting, and retaining, businesses – we have so much to offer and NBN will allow us to showcase the region even more,” Mayor Vickers said.
Council thanked both parties for listening to the West Coast community about NBN and also appreciated the role of the State Government in prong in-kind support by allowing use of the existing cable. It is believed such an agreement between various levels of government is a first in Australia in relation to provision of NBN services.
