ABOUT

The Better Internet for Rural, Regional and Remote Australia (BIRRR)  Facebook group was created on 22nd October 2014. BIRRR began as a Facebook group. Kylie Stretton (Charters Towers, QLD) and Kristy Sparrow (Alpha, QLD) set up the group when they were struggling to get sufficient speeds and enough data at affordable prices to educate their children, run their businesses and participate in an increasingly digital society.

The group grew quickly and in 2015 we added a resource website. Along the way we have built a community of trusted members and become one of few grassroots, independent advocates in the regional telecommunications space. Our 15,250 members come from all Australian states and territories, use all types of connectivity options and have very individual and different needs, budgets and knowledge. From individuals, to small and big business, local governments, industry, media + more BIRRR has become a voice for #BetterBushComms

Current Admin: Kristy Sparrow, Amanda Salisbury (Monto, QLD), Julie Stott (Oberon, NSW) who joined our team in 2016 and Sharon Single (Baradine, NSW) who joined the team in 2022.

Retired Admin: Kylie Stretton (Charters Towers, QLD), Kristen Coggan (Condamine, QLD) & Claire Butler (Clare, NSW).

BIRRR works with providers, industry and stakeholders across the Australian telecommunication industry, as well as government departments, other regional advocates, researchers, the media, technical advisors and our members. Our advocacy focus is on addressing the barriers that have created a growing Connectivity Literacy gap that exists in the RRR telecommunications space and on ensuring:

every Australian, irrespective of where they live, can be confident they have the knowledge and infrastructure to access quality, reliable, affordable and equitable voice and broadband services with stringent consumer support guarantees.

During the preparation of numerous submissions, engagement with the telecommunications industry, stakeholders and our members and research backed by JCU, we quickly came to realise, that through no fault of their own, but rather a long list of barriers, historic factors, and too much emphasis placed on consumer knowledge, regional Australians were not connectivity literate. In 2021, we coined the terminology “Connectivity Literacy“.

The BIRRR team can be contacted at ~ birrraus@gmail.com

BIRRR is a founding member of the Rural, Regional & Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC).