Nick Hartgerink (“NBN puts us up with the best” Merc 1/8/11) is impressed with the potential of the National Broadband Network. Nick recognizes the opportunities for employment created by super fast connections, opportunities centred around IT businesses. I feel the same way and hope we in the Illawarra do not lag behind the rest of the country as we do in so many other areas of the economy.
There is one way in which we can seize the day and give ourselves a head start.
The Shell Cove project involves a Business Park that Shellharbour Council expects will create 1000 permanent full-time jobs. The Council tells us the Park is dependent on the construction of the marina. Sadly not one of the jobs in this Park will be delivered before 2018 under the current plans, and most do not expect these jobs to come on-line until at least 2020.
Instead of waiting for the marina to be built I believe we could accelerate construction of the Business Park. Instead of hoping for Federal and State Gov’t funds to help build the Marina we should be asking the Federal Gov’t for help to connect the Park to the NBN which is coming on line just 4km down the road at Minamurra. Instead of waiting at least 6-8 years for these jobs we could start to create them next year.
If we had a brand new business park with connection to the NBN the Shellharbour area would be in a position to capitalise on a new way of doing business and attracting employment. We could have the first employment generating development in close proximity to a major population centre hooked into the NBN.
What is more likely to attract new businesses to our area – a nice view or a new way of engaging in the economy?
Let us take the Shellharbour area forward into a jobs-rich future by taking advantage of the exciting new opportunities on our doorstep.
