May 8, 2017
The Queensland Farmers’ Federation has called for the Federal Government to allocate funds in the Budget to end the “data drought” in rural and regional Australia.
QFF President Stuart Armitage urged the Federal Government to “remember rural and regional Queensland” and fund telecommunications upgrades that were vitally needed.
“Queensland farm businesses are modern, innovative and require access to big data services to ensure they can take advantage of the opportunities currently before them,” Mr Armitage said.
“This requires not only attention to mobile blackspots but better connectivity and improvements to download and upload speeds.
“The current level of mobile and internet service available to farm businesses is just not good enough. New technologies will underpin the next wave of productivity gains for our sector, which depend on a modern and reliable telecommunications network.”
Mr Armitage also called on the State Government to commit to on-going funding for mobile base stations in the upcoming State Budget.
“The Queensland Government has acknowledged that the lack of coverage is seriously hampering the ability of farmers in some areas to use the latest technologies and that it is a major obstacle to investment,” Mr Armitage said.
“QFF commend the Palaszczuk Government for already committing around $24 million to deliver 144 new and improved mobile base stations to regional communities across 54 different councils under the Australian Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program, and call on the Queensland Government to expand its commitment in the upcoming State Budget.”
