Australian rural internet worse than ‘villages I know’ in Africa, Ross Garnaut says

Prof Ross Garnaut believes while economic growth has favoured big cities since federation, that pattern could be reversed in the new economy. Photograph: Joe Castro/AAP

Some Australian rural communities suffer worse internet access than some “poor villages” in Africa, which is impeding decarbonisation and efficient production in regional Australia, the economist Ross Garnaut has said.

“Connectivity in the modern world is very important to efficient decarbonisation, but also to efficient production,” he said.