While Gunnedah continues to wait for a connection to the National Broadband Network (NBN), the town’s business chamber says the lack of service to rural areas puts red tape on business.
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Chamber president Mike Broekman commented on the back of Mullaley-based linseed business Lively Linseed Jacqui Donoghue’s successful trade negotiations and the under-utilisation of rural women in on-farm business.
He said NBN in rural areas could be paramount to the wealth of the rural sector.
“Without a strong internet service in our rural centres right to the farm gate, it will always be awkward to fully utilise the potential and the expertise of rural women. It’s totally paramount for the rural sector of Australia to have a great internet to be able to tap into the potential of overseas,” Mr Broekman said.
“The leaders of our country are focused on bringing it to households and to city folk, but the rural economic wealth is in the rural areas of Australia and should take absolute priority, to fully utilise the potential that’s out there and to be able to service the worldwide needs.”
The projected roll-out plan for NBN in Gunnedah is the second half of 2018, however this won’t help the farming communities, NSW Farmers’ Gunnedah branch secretary Geraldine McKay said.
“It’s a huge issue for us and our members, because of the increased use of data required for the new technology that is used in the paddocks,” Ms McKay said.
“A lot of that is reliant on accuracy. Also now that drones have entered the agricultural sector, you are looking at drones interacting with spray units and that of course sucks up data incredibly. Most farms are reliant on wireless broadband, so we are absolutely sucking every ounce of data available, which also reduces the efficiency of us making phone calls.
“The lack of internet services is hugely limiting in being able to trade commodities which are produced on farm, so much of that is sold to traders around the world and quite a bit direct these days. We need fixed wireless coming off towers, and more towers. That would go a long way to addressing the issue.”
Ms McKay said internet speed is another concern for farmers in the area after it took 11 minutes to download a banking website.
“There is so many teething problems with the satellite. Sky disaster is its nickname in the bush. In the paddock it’s of no use.”
She said the group had put motions forward to lobby all levels of government for better services.
