By Parker McKenzie
Monbulk will be the only town in the Hills to receive increased internet speeds through government investment in new and upgraded infrastructure, with other parts of the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges missing out on a cut of the $250 million program.
The state government announced on Wednesday 12 October that 180 locations would receive upgraded digital infrastructure to increase broadband speeds through Connecting Victoria.
Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy Jaala Pulford said better connectivity means Victorians can access the internet more easily for work, study and in their daily lives.
“In today’s digital world, it’s no longer an option, it’s a necessity,” she said.
The state government said NBN Co will be delivering the vast majority of the broadband upgrades through a $195.4 million agreement with the Labor Government, with 2000 kilometres of fibre set to be installed.
Monbulk is the only town or location within the Dandenong Ranges to be included in the program, in a region plagued by poor speeds and infrastructure.
Dr Peter Brennan, who has advocated for telecommunications in the region to Connecting Victoria, told the Star Mail on Friday 7 October that businesses in the region often struggled with internet connection issues.
“Restaurants that can’t take bookings because people couldn’t get through, local pharmacists who couldn’t call out and couldn’t get people calling in, just shop owners who can’t process things because the card machines wouldn’t work without connectivity,” he said.
“It’s a triad of approaches, there are three things that need to be done and are in a sense connected necessities: our telecommunications, internet/NBN and the stability of the electricity supply.”
Fibre funded through the program is due to be rolled out by the middle of 2025 with some locations being able to connect from mid-2023, according to the state government.
The broadband network improvements followed an announcement last week of dozens of mobile towers being built throughout the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges.
