Welcoming the Federal Government’s announcement of a $4.5 billion investment in better access to ultra-fast broadband, Wollondilly Council has invited the National Broadband Network (NBN Co) to partner with Council and the community to address current and emerging needs in the area.

The investment will see an increasing number of premises able to access high-speed connections with fibre being rolled out deeper into neighbourhoods, closer to homes and businesses. NBN Co has committed to working with state and local government to deliver higher speed services in regional and remote areas.

Mayor Robert Khan said, “The time is right for this network upgrade where urban and rural areas meet at the outer edge of Sydney.”

“Fast and reliable internet connections are not available in many areas of the Wollondilly Shire at the moment.”

“During Covid-19 restrictions we have seen more and more people working from home, an increase in online education and remote health services. Our businesses have adjusted to online service delivery despite limited access to business grade services.”

“Council will be calling on the government to invest in Wollondilly so that our residents can work effectively from home and our local businesses can run successfully.”

“We are ready to partner with NBN because this enabling infrastructure is the foundation we need for the future of our communities,” he said.

Wollondilly residents identified digital connectivity challenges during consultation for the Smart Shire Strategy in 2018. The strategy identified high-quality connectivity as critical to a thriving community.

Council has also adopted the Code for Smart Communities (Australian Smart Cities Council) as a planning guideline to make certain that high-quality connectivity features in any new development.

Wollondilly Council is actively working with neighbouring councils, State and Federal governments to realise the Western Sydney City Deal digital commitments.

Mayor Khan noted, “Technology helps us be more efficient in how we use and create power, how we manage water use, and how heat and cool our buildings.  Our current networks do not support the data demand of these systems, which is a barrier to growing our local economy.”

“To be successful, our small and medium businesses need to use cloud applications, digital tools, and real-time communication services to connect to customers and employees.”