Central West Queensland has been allocated $100,000 from the state government in order to assist with the upgrade of its ICT infrastructure and prime itself for the National Broadband Network (NBN).
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland, Tim Mulherin, said the project was “critical” to ensuring the region kept pace with developments in ICT infrastructure and digital technologies around Australia.
"The project will be administered by Central West Remote Area Planning and Development Limited (RAPAD) which represents the regional councils of Barcaldine, Barcoo, Blackall-Tambo, Boulia, Diamantina, Longreach and Winton,” Mulherin said in a statement.
"It will enable RAPAD to finalise its central western Queensland ICT action plan and coordinate the development of ICT infrastructure across the region.
"This is consistent, but not dependent, on the rollout of the NBN and will also involve take-up of digital television and other digital broadcast media."
The funding is part of the $7.5 million Queensland Regional Development Initiative (QRDI) taking place from 2010-2014 to finance Queensland’s regional and remote development organisations.
Member for Mount Isa, Betty Kiernan, said the region would benefit from the funding, enabling it to become more “efficient”.
"The introduction of the NBN is also expected to bring huge benefits for regional Queensland including savings in running costs, improved access to supply chains, increased remote monitoring of equipment and stock, the ability to transmit large data and graphics files in real time, and the ability to compete with urban counterparts in tendering and quoting for business,” Kiernan said.
"QRDI targets economic development projects an d activities in Cairns, Wide Bay-Burnett, the Darling Downs-Surat, Townsville, Fitzroy and Mackay/Whitsunday.”