Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities) Share this | Hansard source

The shadow minister said that she did not get an answer to her question. Again I repeat that the principle is, coexistence period or no, a line must be capable of delivering 25 megabits per second. If it doesn't, that line will need to be remediated so it can deliver that speed. Of course, there is a range of ways in which that could happen. Where you've got a long copper run, an obvious way to do that is to move the equipment closer to the customer's premises so that the length of the copper run is reduced. Of course, the network is being optimised continually and, where individual lines or connections don't meet that standard, the remediation will be put in place. Again I invite the shadow minister to raise specific instances with the minister's office, and I'm sure they will be dealt with as soon as is conveniently possible.

The shadow minister complained that she didn't get an answer. What is interesting is to look at the number of times the shadow minister has been asked, 'What is Labor's plan for the NBN?' She's been repeatedly asked that question and she never, ever gives a clear answer. On Lateline she was asked by Emma Alberici:

Alberici: So, if Labor wins the next election, what is your intention? Do you go back to an all fibre network?

Rowland: It's always been our preference for fibre, and to have fibre as deep as possible into the network, Emma.

Alberici: But is that going to be your policy?

Rowland: Our policy is going to be informed by the needs of consumers and putting them at the centre.

Alberici: Well, you've just finished saying that the mish-mash of technologies, as you put it—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 12:18 to 12:34

Before we were interrupted, we were addressing the question of when you get answers and when you don't get answers on important matters of communications policy. I was reminding the House that the shadow minister does not seem able to articulate what Labor's plan for the NBN would be if they were to come to government. As I indicated, she was unable to give a clear and convincing explanation to Emma Alberici on Lateline. But she hasn't focused her attention solely on the ABC. She's similarly obfuscated Labor's position on Sky News when she was asked a straightforward question by a Sky News journalist: is it still your intention to roll out the NBN to each and every home, not just the node, not just to the end of the driveway? Is it your intention to do that? The shadow minister's answer was: we've always favoured fibre over copper and we want to see it as deep as possible into the network. Bill Shorten made it clear some time ago it is not our intention, if we are elected at the next election, to go out and start ripping up the copper. We would need to be informed by the realities on the ground and the stage at which the NBN is at, and the Prime Minister tells us the NBN will be finished at the end of this term.

It is difficult to get a clear answer from the Labor Party as to what their plan is and I tell you why: they don't have a plan. Labor have no plan as to what to do about the NBN other than to engage in continued sniping and criticism and trying to disguise from the reality, which is there on the record for all Australians to see—six years of rank and hopeless incompetence.

I want to make the point, because I think it's important: it's not just on the question of the NBN that is extremely difficult to work out what Labor's policy is, because we similarly see a lack of explanation of what Labor stands for when it comes to the ABC. The shadow minister was recently asked on radio in Tasmania, on 91.7 ABC Mornings by Leon Compton:

'… but my question to you specifically is do you have a policy on funding the ABC that people can easily find?'

And the shadow minister said:

We'll have a very clear and distinct choice for the electorate going into the next election. I can make that very clear.

Mr Compton asked:

But you don't, at the moment, have a policy beyond criticising and suggesting you'll be different to what the government are doing?

And the shadow minister said:

Look, I don't accept that. We are completely different in terms of being very committed to ensuring that we have a strong ABC. We also are very committed to fighting these cuts as they stand.

The shadow minister can't tell us what Labor's policy is on the ABC. The shadow minister can't tell us what Labor's policy is on the NBN. The reality is, Australians have had the chance to see how Labor actually managed the NBN and it was a dismal litany of failure. Australians are not mugs. There's a lot of talk from this side but look at their track record; it was hopeless.

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