The Dalgety Chamber of Commerce originally applied to the Office of Rural Affairs for broadband services in Dalgety. Federal and state ministers announced their success eight months ago.

In a speech to the National General Assembly of Local Government in June 2009, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, said works could begin as early as September 2009. They have not.

A spokesperson for Mr Conroy said the government was rolling out broadband “as quickly as practical” considering it is the largest infrastructure project in Australia’s history. The spokesperson said a study for implementing the National Broadband Network in mainland Australia would be presented to parliament this month.

Member for the Monaro Steve Whan said the Australian Communications and Media Authority granted the necessary licence last month and that the benefit to Delegate and Dalgety would be worth the wait.

“The technical team was in Delegate and Dalgety [the week ending February 14] identifying the physical infrastructure requirements for each community so that the infrastructure build meets the needs of the communities now and in the future,” Mr Whan said.

Direct communication with the affected communities appears to be patchy and Dalgety Chamber of Commerce president Julie Pearson said she had heard nothing about the project. Mrs Pearson operates Dalgety’s postal services among other ventures and has now signed on for satellite broadband.

“At this point in time we have not heard anything back from the Office of Rural Affairs who assured us they’d get back. I understand [other successful applicants] haven’t heard either,” Ms Pearson said.

Down the road in Delegate the story is the same. Vice president of the Delegate Progress Association, Natalie Armstrong, said residents were keen for broadband but had heard nothing.

“We haven’t heard a thing since [the announcements]. It’s all gone into the ether,” Ms Armstrong said.