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National Broadband Network roll-out delays are holding back small businesses in Bendigo, the city’s mayor said.
Cr Rod Fyffe called on the federal government to speed up the roll-out “as soon as possible.”
About 11,000 people in Strathfieldsaye, Strathdale, Kangaroo Flat and Golden Square have access to Fibre To The Node NBN.
The Coalition promised to have it either completed or under construction for 60,000 other people by September 2018.
“There just doesn’t seem to be any urgency,” Cr Fyffe said.
“I am frustrated that the government seems to be doing nothing to get it going quicker.”
The Bendigo Business Council identified the completion of the NBN as the “most critical infrastructure project for business in our region,” prior to the federal election and demanded it be done by 2020.
Business council members “strongly preferred” Fibre To The Premises to FTTN.
Cr Fyffe’s comments coincided with the launch of the Bendigo Small Business Festival on Wednesday.
Of the almost 7500 businesses in Bendigo, the City of Greater Bendigo said about 85 per cent were small businesses.
About 4600 people in Bendigo are self-employed. Approximately 2200 people employ between one and four people, and 878 employ between five and 19 people.
Many of those business owners were at Morley’s Emporium for the launch of the small business festival, which starts on August 1 and runs for the month.
Member for Bendigo West, Maree Edwards, praised them on their hard work and contribution to the state’s economy.
Bendigo is the third largest economic base in Victoria, behind Melbourne and Geelong.
With retail trade being the city’s second largest sector, behind healthcare, Ms Edwards encouraged growth.
“We want more visitors to Bendigo… to our region… and we want them to stay for longer,” she said.
The launch ended with a networking session by Jen ‘the Jenerator’ Harwood.