November 2011 Cover Story

This follows the NBN Co releasing its inaugural 12 month national rollout plan to initially connect 11,200 premises in Gosford and 11,600 premises in Long Jetty.
Member for Robertson Deborah O’Neill, Member for Dobell Craig Thomson and the Member for Shortland Jill Hall said, “This is exciting news and further evidence that the NBN is well and truly a reality and a testament to what we can achieve on the Central Coast when we work together.”
“Investment in the NBN is essential for the Central Coast to be part of an innovative knowledge-based Australian economy in the future,” they said.
Ms O’Neill described the educational benefits of the rollout as massive.  “The NBN will provide opportunities for collaborative learning between institutions on the Central Coast, around Australia and overseas.”
All three Federal Members paid tribute to the work of the Central Coast Broadband Steering Group, which included Gosford and Wyong Councils, Regional Development Australia Central Coast and David Abrahams and Edgar Adams for their combined efforts in delivering an early rollout.
“Our united approach was a key factor in our successful lobbying for an early rollout on the Coast,” they said.
International telecommunications consultant Paul Budde who is presently overseas, on hearing the news, congratulated everyone involved in achieving this outcome for the region. “The region will profit significantly from this early participation as it has a large commuting population, and having access to high-speed broadband infrastructure will be an enormous boost to e-commerce and teleworking applications. It will be around the NBN that new companies – and indeed new industries – will be born and the Central Coast is now well-positioned to take a leadership role in this development.
What does it mean for the Central Coast?
• Firstly, the region will be seen as an ideal environment with world class infrastructure and this will attract inward investment from corporations looking to invest in and relocate to.
• It will also mean that with world class broadband facilities new jobs and innovative business models will result.
• Significant Training opportunities for the local youth sector.
• World class technology to support telecommuting workers.
• Development of on-line training and education capabilities.
• Ability to support the ageing community through innovative technology.
• Creation of opportunities in Smartgrid technology.
• Further development of e-Government initiatives.

Further information on the NBN is available at www.nbn.gov.au  and www.nbnco.com.au

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