18 Oct 2011

Labour would review broadband rollout

6:18 am on 18 October 2011

The Labour Party is promising an independent review of the ultrafast broadband rollout into urban and rural areas if it becomes the Government after the general election.

Labour announced on Monday that it wants high speed broadband extended to parts of the country not covered in the plan.

Communications and IT spokesperson Clare Curran says Labour has some grave concerns about the government's scheme.

She says the review would assess the costs of the scheme, but it would not jeopardise current plans for extending ultra-fast broadband into rural areas, and in fact some could be strengthened.

She says Labour would want to see the contractors demonstrate that they are committed to getting broadband out as quickly as possible to regional New Zealand and to parts of the country where there is little access now, both urban and rural.

She says the review would be held quickly so as to not hold up the rollout.