WEST Wimmera Shire Council will plead its case for better internet access at Kaniva directly to a National Broadband Network committee on Tuesday.
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Mayor Bruce Meyer said council had been strongly fighting for better service at Kaniva then what the NBNCo had offered the town.
Kaniva was on NBNCo’s rollout schedule in 2013, but the company then deemed the town not suitable for fixed wireless or fibre-to-the-node services.
Instead, it has offered residents a satellite service.
Cr Meyer said it wasn’t good enough.
“We expect a minimum of fixed wireless for the town,” he said. “It is very unfair to residents going forward.
“Other towns smaller than Kaniva in the Wimmera, such as Apsley, are getting fixed wireless.
“If you look at the map, you’ll see towns like Rupanyup, Minyip, Murtoa, Rainbow and Jeparit all getting fixed wireless, but for some reason, which has never been revealed, Kaniva is getting a lesser service.”
On Tuesday, council will present to a joint standing committee about the issue in Adelaide.
Cr Meyer said it was a good opportunity to present council’s case directly to the committee.
He said Member for Mallee Andrew Broad has also been fighting for an improved service at Kaniva.
Last month, Mr Broad told parliament that business investment would fall behind if the town was left with the NBN satellite service, which was designed for remote regions.
He called on the federal government to spend an additional $500,000 so Kaniva businesses could get faster internet. Cr Meyer said without adequate internet service, the town would suffer.
“Every service is not without its faults, but what we have been offered will inhibit any chance of the town’s industrial estate growing,” he said.
“If we can’t offer businesses first-class internet, it becomes very hard to get people to bring their business here.”