Report confirms Govt treating rural NZ as poor cousin on broadband
A just-released KPMG report has confirmed Labour’s view that the National Government is under-investing in rural broadband, Labour’s
Communications and IT Spokesperson Clare Curran said today.
"The KPMG Agribusiness Agenda says that despite the productive capacity of the New Zealand economy being increasingly focused in rural communities, only 1.6 per cent of the Government’s proposed funding for broadband and fibre networks is aimed at rural communities," Clare Curran said.
"This is despite the fact that, according to the report, 13.8 per cent of people live in rural communities (approximately 585,000 people) which between them grow, process and export 66 per cent of New Zealand’s merchandise exports.
"The report gives the lie to Communications Minister Steven Joyce’s celebrations today that he is somehow delivering for rural New Zealanders.
"It confirms that there is no new Government money over and above the $48 million the Government originally proposed for rural broadband.
"The report highlights that there continues to be significant concerns about the Government’s unbalanced approach to urban and rural broadband schemes.
"As the report states, the Government should ensure that the broadband investment is focused evenly to include areas where it will maximise the productive return to the economy.
"That means treating rural New Zealand equally – not as a poor cousin – and taking a long term approach to investing in our regions," Clare Curran said.
