Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman, has launched a petition calling on the Morrison Government to stop the dud deal on the NBN and prioritise key parts of the Hawkesbury for an upgrade to faster broadband connection.

 

Launched this week, the petition calls on the Minister for Communications and the Chief Executive of NBNCo to prioritise major townships across the area for the planned fibre overbuild, which will see Fibre To The Node (FTTN) connections upgraded to Fibre To The Premises (FTTP).

 

Ms Templeman said many areas of the Hawkesbury have been left off the initial list, despite areas like nearby Castle Hill being among the first to receive the upgrade.

 

“After seven years and $57 billion, the Liberal Government has suddenly realised that FTTP is a faster, more reliable and more economical technology than copper. This is a start,” Ms Templeman, who is also the co-chair of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the NBN, said.

 

“The complaints to my office during COVID have shown that our ability to run businesses, and work or study from home has been severely impacted by an under-performing NBN that uses old technology.

 

“This petition is calling on the Morrison Government and NBNCo to prioritise the Macquarie electorate – and particularly Hawkesbury townships like North Richmond, Grose Wold, Grose Vale, Kurrajong Hills, Kurmond, McGraths Hill, Freemans Reach, Wilberforce and Pitt Town - for the fibre overbuild.

 

“In addition, it urges the government to commit to a plan to upgrade to fibre the mish-mash of wireless and satellite NBN connections in our region.”

 

Residents who want to call for a faster, more affordable broadband connection can sign the petition at susantempleman.com.au/campaigns/upgrade-our-nbn/

 

“We want the world-class connection that would have been delivered under the original Labor plan,” Ms Templeman said.

 

“At the moment, all we have is a $57 billion bill and out-of-date technology.

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