Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Hansard source

Absolutely. It is not enough to say to regional communities, 'Well, just use ADSL.' There has been limited investment in that resource because of the NBN. Some new residents cannot access ports, because there are none available, and they have been told there will be no upgrade, because of the NBN. Sections of my electorate are also in high-rainfall areas, and in winter copper wiring can be underwater because many of our areas have over a metre of water. That affects the conductivity of the network, and this is going to be an issue that the NBN will have to address.

If you are going to put rural people on satellite because it is cheaper for the government, it needs to be affordable for all. As people in regional areas, we should not be expected to pay more for internet services and receive a slower service simply because we live outside the metropolitan areas. The government really must look as this as an infrastructure project that must be thinking of the next 50 years and not just three years and a budget line.

See this speech in context