Broadbanding the City - Time for Action

The Manukau city economy is growing at 3% per annum and our businesses are creating many new jobs. Yet only 66% of homes across Manukau city have computer access at present and only 65% of the city is fully broadbanded. The particular areas affected by the lack of broadbanding are significant parts of Otara, Mangere, Manurewa and the wider Clevedon community. Mayoral candidate Len Brown believes it is essential that the city takes a lead to ensure that each home has computer access and that the city is fully broadbanded within 5 years.

“We must be proactive in encouraging all of our community to go on-line” said Len Brown. “We are languishing behind other parts of the Auckland region in planning to fully broadband the city.”

Mr Brown said that most of the new jobs being created require computer knowledge and skill. “We are a business city and Manukau is on the cutting edge of economic growth in this country. It is vital for our future to have broadband access for all. This will have an economic benefit for business across the city and together with improved access to computers and training it will improve the competence of our people entering the workforce” said Mr Brown.

“We need to make a commitment now to develop our IT infrastructure and encourage our people to get on-line” he said.

Recently the government funded North Shore City to the level of $4.7 million to extend the coverage of broadband to the schools and throughout the wider North Shore community. Mr Brown said “It is time for our city to move forward on-line and I will advocate strongly to Government for assistance to carry this out badly needed work in Manukau. It is an issue of national economic importance.”

ENDS

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