Three-quarters of residents living in the electorate of Throsby have “unreliable” internet connections, MP Stephen Jones told federal parliament on Thursday.
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Mr Jones also tabled a report into the National Broadband Network in his electorate, which was compiled via surveys of 1025 residents.
“It concludes that there is a clear and urgent economic and social need for an upgrade to the telecommunications infrastructure across the Illawarra and Southern Highlands,” Mr Jones said.
“That small business and job creation is being hampered by existing services.
“That the ‘last-mile’ of copper is not an option for a network so badly degraded that connectivity is affected by the rain.”
Mr Jones said residents complained about phone and internet connections that dropped out when it rained, of recent housing developments that missed out on a direct NBN connection and of some people running a business who were considering moving to get a better service.
“My survey has found that 75 per cent of people living in Throsby reported an unreliable data connection, compared to 57 per cent of those from outside the area,” he said.
“In the Southern Highlands 74 per cent of people had an unreliable connection. In Albion Park 77 per cent, in Oak Flats and Shellharbour, 79 per cent, in Warilla 72 per cent.
“The only bright spot on the radar was Dapto – where residents are already being connected up to Labor’s version of the NBN.”
Mr Jones’ report targeted post codes of 2527 – which includes Calderwood and Albion Park – and 2529 – Blackbutt, Oak Flats and Dunmore – as the two areas of concern when it came to internet connectivity.