MORE than 34,000 Bendigo homes and businesses will be connected to the National Broadband Network or under construction by June 2016, according to Member for Bendigo Steve Gibbons.
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Mr Gibbons announced the additional homes and connections today, which followed last year’s announcement of 29,500 planned connections.
He warned the NBN would be put scrapped if the Coalition won government.
“This means that, unless construction is underway, under Tony Abbott construction of the NBN to homes in our area will be cancelled and they will have to pay up to $5,000 or be left disconnected from Labor’s NBN,” he said.
“The Coalition’s outdated and ageing copper wire network won’t meet our future needs.
“All households need access to fibre NBN and only Labor’s NBN will deliver this”.
But Liberal candidate for Bendigo Greg Bickley said his party’s plans were cheaper and would be connected sooner.
“We’re committed to every household and business having access to fast broadband by 2016,” he said.
“So we’ll deliver fast, affordable broadband sooner and cheaper.”
Mr Gibbons said up to 4,900 homes in the Castlemaine region, and 2,400 premises in Heathcote and Elmore would be connected to the NBN or under construction by June 2016.
He said 3,400 homes and businesses would be connected or under construction in Kyneton and Elmore by the same time.