The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has called for commitments from all sides of politics to bridge the digital divide for rural and regional Australians in this election.
NFF President David Jochinke said that while significant investment has been made, we’re still a long way from fixing the rural and regional connectivity problem.
“Whether it’s calling for help in an emergency, coordinating logistics during harvest, or simply staying connected with loved ones – bush connectivity is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline,” Mr Jochinke said.
“Reliable connectivity is critical to keeping people outside major population centres safe and connected, both in times of natural disasters, and in daily farm life.”
Mr Jochinke said rural, regional and remote constituents deserved reliable and resilient connectivity, and he acknowledged productive discussions with telecommunication providers, but it’s time for the Federal Government to step up.
“This election, we’ve put all parties on notice: rural voters are tired of buffering, dropouts and excuses. They want to be connected” Mr Jochinke said.
The NFF has compiled a list of actions that would continue to improve bush connectivity.
The NFF’s Election Platform can be found here keepfarmersfarming.org.au