CONNECTED: Tina Nixon (left) and Jennifer Taylor show equipment central to WaiConnect's bid for government money to improve the region's broadband. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA
CONNECTED: Tina Nixon (left) and Jennifer Taylor show equipment central to WaiConnect's bid for government money to improve the region's broadband. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA
A project involving all three district councils in Wairarapa has been launched in a bid to get a slice of $350 million offered by central government for improving broadband and access to it.
Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa district councils have joined forces and have employed Taylor Corporate Solutions toproject manage WaiConnect, working in unison with a steering group from the joint councils, to try to get some of the money on offer.
The Government is aiming to improve New Zealand's digital connectedness by increasing the opportunity for people to access good broadband and has decided to inject the money into Ultra Fast Broadband (UFB), Rural Broadband and Mobile Blackspots.
Masterton District economic development programme manager Tina Nixon said yesterday that, at a bare minimum, if the money was spread evenly across all the councils making bids, Wairarapa should be in for an extra $7 million for broadband and mobile phone infrastructure.
Jennifer Taylor of Taylor Corporate Solutions said the next move was to compile a registry of interest, likely to include major users, which needed to be in the hands of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment by July 3.
"Then we need to put together by September 18 a Digital Enablement Plan looking at key areas where we can deliver economic and social benefits to Wairarapa," Ms Taylor said.
That plan would be aimed at getting people to understand the opportunities good broadband could provide.
For information or to support the WaiConnect bid, visitwww.facebook.com/WAIConnect.
