Regional Australia continues to be at the forefront of the digital revolution thanks to Federal Government funding helping communities and business develop innovative uses of the National Broadband Network (NBN).
Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean today announced that 20 Regional Development Australia (RDA) committees would benefit from about $500,000 in Federal funding for 14 projects that will ensure communities are ready to take full advantage of the NBN.
“The NBN is a game-changer for regional Australia and regional Australia knows it—it will transform the way small businesses operate, how health services are delivered, and how students of all ages access educational opportunities,” Mr Crean said.
“These projects will encourage regional communities to engage with the possibilities of the NBN through local expos, roadshows and other activities.
“Each project has a focus on practical initiatives which will engage communities and attract people from across the region.
“A number of projects are collaborations across RDA boundaries, where committees have joined the dots and come up with a partnership approach to maximise the investment.
“It is important to remember that the NBN is only the highway,” Mr Crean said.
“The challenge for the RDA committees is to build the applications that will be the vehicles on the highway.
“These projects are great examples of RDA committees meeting this challenge and developing creative proposals that stack up.
“This funding builds on $200,000 the Federal Government has already provided for strategic planning and development work by RDA committees in places covered by the 12 month rollout.
“I congratulate all the successful applicants on their creative proposals, and I look forward to seeing the real local outcomes of each of these projects,” Mr Crean said.
A number of projects will showcase their local initiatives during National Teleworking Week from 12 to 16 November.
Mr Crean announced the funding program at the Regional Development Australia National Forum in Adelaide in May 2012.
The RDA committees to be awarded funding are:
- RDA Sunshine Coast, RDA Gold Coast, RDA Logan & Redlands and RDA Moreton Bay (QLD) will receive $100,000 for the Digital Futures Program—Telework Readiness
- RDA Far North Queensland and Torres Strait (QLD) will receive $24,950 for the Implementation of the Cairns Digital Economy and Community Engagement Strategy
- RDA Peel (WA) will receive $24,600 for the Catch the Broadband Wave project
- RDA Wheatbelt (WA) will receive $24,776, for the Pathway to Digital Region project
- RDA Far North and RDA Yorke & Mid North (SA) will receive $50,000 for the NBN Localised Website and Supporting Roadshow project
- RDA Hume (VIC) will receive $25,000 for the Digital Economy and NBN Readiness Planning for the Hume Region
- RDA Mid North Coast (NSW) will receive $24,966 for the NBN Satellite Champions Awareness project
- RDA Central Coast (NSW) will receive $25,000 for the Teleworking on the NSW Central Coast project
- RDA Northern Rivers (NSW) will receive $25,000 for the Digital Business Development project
- RDA Orana (NSW) will receive $25,000 for the Orana to the Digital Economy Expo project
- RDA Riverina and RDA Murray (NSW) will receive $50,000 to present 42 information sessions across the regions business sectors
- RDA Central West (NSW) will receive $25,000 for the Connecting Communities in the Central West project
- RDA Southern Inland (NSW) and RDA ACT will receive $25,000 to carry out a readiness assessment and workshops across the region
- RDA Illawarra (NSW) will receive $25,000 for the Illawarra NBN Expo project.