Dear fellow Central Coastian,
I'm writing to you about a incredibly important local issue. Asking you to wrestle with your hearts and minds for about a $440 million investment and carefully consider your belief in the Central Coast before you vote tomorrow.
By voting for a regional issue that will really make a difference to our lives, the local economy, our access to health care and education and reduce the region's reliance on commuting.
Please feel free to forward this if you believe some body should know about this important Central Coast issue. FaceBook it etc.
I'm asking many of you to buck the current trend and vote for the unique regional issue. It's not about left of right, Lab, Lib, Green etc' it's about our region and very important regional infrastructure. It's really that simple.
The NBN infrastructure enables local business to grow, local carers to monitor securely aged people in their home, local students to be involved with the best educators. It's about enabling working from home more often for our commuters. All of this is very well documented, industry designed and the investment schedule on the Central Coast is published. It's not theory.
It's taken a great deal of work for over 10 years to get the investment here. I've been part of a real team of business and community leaders, councillors and of course the current Federal MPs to make it happen.
The NBN investment rollout is well underway on the Central Coast. Dozens of workers are building better, phone, mobile and internet services in our region right now. Already customers in Gosford, East Gosford & Point Fredrick report incredible reliability, speed and reduced telephone costs.
Good if you're in; Gosford, East Gosford, Point Fredrick and Springfield you receive 100Mb speeds now and in December 1000Mb speeds.
Bad if you're in; Erina, Wyong, Woy Woy, Tuggerah, Kincumber, Foresters Beach, Avoca, Killcare, Narara, Lake Haven, Toukley etc etc, etc.
You could receive a service offering just 2.5% to 10% of what will be in Gosford in December with the alternative plans.
I'm not asking you to vote and reward the Labor party nationally per say as the Coast clearly won't effect the outcome of the national election this time. Though once in a generation people get the chance to help decide something that really makes a difference.
I am asking you to consider voting for local candidates that will actively defend our $440 million published local investment schedule. Not all Central Coastians know about this, they should.
Our Pro Central Coast investment defenders at present:
Deb O'neill & Kate Da Costa in Robertson.
Emma MacBride, Craig Thompson & Sue Wynn in Dobell
Jill Hall in Shortland
These good strong local candidates can defend published investments. Weak ones can or will not fight for the investment. The question is who will stand up to the de-investmnet gang and who will roll over. That's why whoever's in government we need strong regional advocates, people who support our regions investment.
NB: Sadly the Team Central Coast candidates Gosford Mayor Lawrie McKinna & Cricketer Nathan Braken are siding with the de-investment candidates, despite previous support for the published NBN the Mayor of Gosford is in effect voting down the region's investment.
It's regrettable this group has misunderstood the situation and is supporting the De-Investment of at least $220 million dollars. Ironically they were campaigning on a pro-investment ticket. The groups tactical & financial backer John Singleton boasted he'd "do no harm" to the region. Obs.
To be honest I'm most disappointed that this telecommunications upgrade has become a political football. It should be a united national priority. Countries around the world are clambering for this infrastructure.
Please consider voting for this unique Central Coast issue - and please pass this on to anyone who should know.
Dave Abrahams
Local Small Business owner and regional investment campaigner.
web: www.davidab.info
Twitter: @digitdave
NB: I am not a Labor party member, donor or indeed a member of any party. I don't have millions of dollars to throw at posters and media adds. I respond to the power of positive ideas and sound information as I think most people do. Good voting.
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