Australian Government actions needed to secure Norfolk Island’s telecommunications future
13 October, 2016 - A US$300M, 13,200km cable is soon to be deployed by a New Zealand company (hawaiki.co.nz), linking the US to Australia, New Zealand and several Pacific Islands including Hawaii and American Samoa. Only the
90km link to Norfolk Island remains unfunded.
Norfolk Island is a remote island in the Southern Pacific Ocean undergoing a series of reforms by the Australian
Government since 1st July this year. It is understood that the previous Norfolk Island Government had been pursuing
options to have the cable connected to the island but under the new reforms the connection cannot proceed without the
Australian Government’s support and leadership.
The Australian Government’s current approach to Internet on Norfolk Island is for each home to have a satellite dish - a
solution designed for sparsely populated remote areas. While Norfolk is remote, it covers only 35sq km making its
population density like that of a town. Like many towns, the island has existing fibre-optic backbone and copper
infrastructure. It also has a 2G mobile phone network that is obsolete and needs to be replaced as a matter of urgency.
As opposed to satellite alternatives, the high reliability and quality of cable may be the only way to meet the tourism,
economic and educational needs of the island in the coming decades. Linking Norfolk Island directly with Sydney, the
cable would reduce the annual cost to the Australian Government in delivery of services and reduce the cost of the
mobile upgrade.
Acting in real time on this opportunity would be a proof point of the Australian Government's commitments to Norfolk
Island including the promotion of economic sustainability and growth, and the upgrade of the island's obsolete
telecommunications services, as outlined in the Australian Government’s own economic development plans for Norfolk
Island.
The cable cannot be connected later, and cable opportunities tend to come only every 15+ years - so a review of the
opportunity must be made NOW. It is believed that without the benefit of a cable connection, the Australian Government
may be leaving the island “Internet disadvantaged” in comparison to mainland counterparts.
A two page review with recommendations has been presented to the Australian Government, entitled: “Pacific Jewel or
Welfare State? Australian Government actions needed NOW to secure Norfolk Island’s telecommunications future”. Copies of
the review and a letter have been sent to Senator Fiona Nash who is the Australian Government Minister responsible for
overseeing Norfolk Island’s development, as well as the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
The referenced review and further information is available at http://triworlds.com/nicable
Questions for the Australian Government should be directed to:
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Senator Hon. Fiona Nash
Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Regional Communications
For information about the Hawaiki cable project:
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Remi Galasso, Hawaiki Submarine Cable CEO
ends