[VIDEO] Malcolm Turnbull MP, Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband joined LNP candidate for Fairfax, Ted O’Brien and Coolum Business and Tourism President, Noel Mooney to tour the Coolum Industrial Park and met with business owners to discuss the impact of slow broadband speeds on industry growth in the area.
The Coolum Industrial Estate utilised copper cables (instead of fibre optic) in its development and together with its distance from the Coolum Exchange, has meant that businesses can only achieve Internet speeds of approximately 1.5Mbps. Average Internet speed outside of the estate is approximately 8Mbps (more than 80% faster).
Mr. Turnbull and Mr. O’Brien were the guests of Weir Minerals Multiflo and discusses the issue with other affected business owners in the area. Weir Minerals Multiflo is a major employer and international company that has found it necessary to outlay considerable expense to rectify their broadband problems. Other businesses within the estate have had to identify solutions to suit their requirements which regrettably has meant the relocation of the business and the loss of economic activity from the region
After listening to the concerns of the businesses Mr Turnbull said, “This is a classic case where the NBN’s priorities are wrong. This industrial estate has totally inadequate broadband and yet it is not even on the construction list for the next three years. They have no idea when the NBN will come to this part of the Sunshine Coast.
Our commitment to the businesses here on the Sunshine Coast is that we will build the NBN sooner and cheaper than Labor and we will prioritise the areas that have inadequate broadband, areas like this that have the greatest need and once they are dealt with move out across the rest of the country.”
Additional video material of Malcolm Turnbull discussing the National Broadband Network to the assembled Coolum businesses.