Cairns Regional Council has delivered its National Broadband Network (NBN) submission, pledging its support in facilitating the project locally to encourage the early rollout in Cairns and Far North Queensland.

About 3000 premises in Townsville were the first in Queensland to receive official connection to the NBN on September 1, but a connection date for the Far North is yet to be announced by the Federal Government.

Council’s Economic Development Manager, Fiona Wilson, and Far North Queensland Region of Council (FNQROC) Executive Officer, Darlene Irvine, travelled to Sydney last week to personally deliver an 80-page joint submission by FNQROC, a collaboration of Cairns Regional Council, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Tablelands Regional Council, Cook Shire Council, Croydon Shire Council, Etheridge Shire Council and Wujul Wujul Aboriginal Council.

The submission stated that major Far North Queensland councils were committed to providing practical support to NBN Co through a dedicated single point of contact, a key stakeholder working group and a community engagement program.

“There are many reasons for our region to embrace the NBN rollout and to be considered as a priority area,” Ms Wilson said.

“NBN has the potential to reduce isolation, improve access to information in remote communities and reduce travelling times within the region, particularly the indigenous communities.

“Supporting high-speed broadband is strongly embedded as a priority in our local and regional strategies, which specifically target economic diversity and the strengthening of education, health and research.”

Mayor Val Schier said Council would assist the rollout in any way it could.

“In particular, our officers can provide highly-specialised mapping and information in the planning stages to ensure smooth implementation,” Cr Schier said.

"The benefits NBN will bring to our businesses, schools, health services, media, disaster co-ordination and tourism will be enormous.

“They will bring our region in line with not only Australia's capital cities, but the rest of the world."