Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: Federated Farmers
Federated Farmers believes the announcement of more money for patching up rural connectivity issues will be seen as a positive sign for the future of rural communities.
The government’s extra funding announced this morning is a signal the government is listening when we talk about what we need to keep the economy moving, Federated Farmers vice president Andrew Hoggard says.
Surveys conducted by Federated Farmers show there are some large parts of the rural countryside which still have slow, or no, access to the internet.
“The vast majority of New Zealanders living in towns and cities have absolutely no idea how bad internet access still is in some parts of the country.”
Feds’ surveys show internet speeds for rural users are still likely to make it difficult for them to complete tasks like internet banking, making orders online and using recruitment websites, not to mention the kids being able to do online schooling.
Federated Farmers will continue to take every opportunity to encourage the government to speed up the roll out of the Rural Broadband Initiative.
“We’ve said for a long time that there is a strong link between rural productivity and internet connectivity. If you are looking for a shovel-ready project, this would be a good one. The shovels are already in the ground.
“It is good the government is looking for ways to continue to grow rural businesses with better technology, especially given the post-COVID-19 world we will be living in, so hopefully this is just the start of a thoughtful approach to building rural business and community resilience,” Andrew says.
