Editorial: Having a rural voice
OPINION: The past few weeks have been tough on farms across the North Island: floods and storms have caused damage and disruption to families and businesses.
Federated Farmers telecommunications spokesperson Richard McIntyre suggests members sign up for government assistance under the Remote Users Scheme.
"We know from the responses we get from our annual rural connectivity survey that this announcement will be appreciated by a significant number of farmers and growers," says McIntyre.
"They are pulling their hair out trying to run a business with bad internet."
According to Feds' own data the assistance on offer could help at least 1 in 3 farmers who have to live with download speeds of less than 10mbps.
This means trading-off time for family internet use, like children doing homework, with mum or dad doing banking, online business compliance and ordering supplies.
"Feds has been working with the Government on this since January and it is a great comfort to us that this scheme appears to offer genuine relief.
"We look forward to working with Government to make sure everyone eligible gets a chance to make the most of the assistance," he says.
The Remote Users Scheme, announced this month, will equip as many remote households as possible with the connectivity infrastructure needed to access broadband services, says Digital Economy and Communications Minister, David Clark.
"Whilst these locations might be off the grid, it doesn't mean they can't be connected to it in some way," Clark said. "As the global cost of the living crisis puts pressure on New Zealanders and their families, a reliable connection will make it easier for remote businesses to operate, pay invoices and network.
"From a social standpoint, this new scheme will also help connect people to online health services and educational tools."
Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP) will administer the Remote Users Scheme and will soon be calling for applications from potentially eligible households and communities. A request for proposal from internet service providers will follow. It i expected that new broadband connectivity infrastructure for the eligible areas and households can begin being built in mid-2023.
