George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, in writing, on 25 November 2010.

(1) Is the Minister aware that entire rural communities like Hideaway and Dingo Beach in the Whitsundays and Guthalungra (just north-west of Bowen) are going to be left without easy access to digital television when the switchover happens in 2011.

(2) What action is the Minister taking to remedy this inequity, specifically, would the Government consider funding the upgrade (to digital) of local blackspot transmitters in these areas (currently managed by local councils) so that residents can receive digital television at no extra cost to residents in city areas.

(3) If no action will be taken to remedy this inequity, how does the Minister justify the fact that residents in these regional communities will have to pay extra for both set-top boxes and satellite transmitters in order to receive digital television, when everyone else will receive it for just the price of a set-top box.

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