Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

In a day and age where people feel like they hardly have the time to catch up with their own neighbours, community festivals provide a really good way of bringing people together. I saw that in action recently with two festivals that I had the opportunity to attend, the first being at Woodcroft. The Woodcroft Lake Festival, which has been held for 14 years now, brings together people to enjoy song, dance and music, and there is plenty of delicious food to enjoy as well and some great stalls. It's been brought together by a great organising committee, led by my friend Lucas Cayanan and a whole bunch of volunteers who work year in, year out to make sure that it's such a success. I want to congratulate them on another terrific event, and I look forward to many more of their festivals.

Another festival that I got to see that had recently been relocated was the Willmot Festival, which was held on 29 September. Again, it was another great opportunity for great company, great food and great entertainment, with a range of activities being held there. It's always been a highlight in the local community calendar. It wouldn't be possible without a dedicated team from the Willmot community group led by their president, the community legend Peta Kennedy. I want to thank her for all her efforts. The deputy mayor, Tony Bleasdale, state MP Prue Car and I had a great time there.

An issue that's constantly coming up in my talks with residents locally is the frustration with broadband and, in many cases, the lack of service. Whether it's for the kids' homework or running the home business, broadband is essential for many of us. We rely upon it, and the coalition just doesn't seem to get that. The simple fact is: this government's delivering an NBN that costs more, does less and leaves consumers worse off. The rollout itself is years behind its promised delivery, and it's just not good enough. The people of Chifley deserve better, and time after time I've stood up in this place to share stories of locals who are either getting ridiculous speeds or being told that their homes will be connected to the NBN and then are still left waiting.

To give locals the chance to discuss their concerns and sort out their issues, I'm hosting a community forum on Wednesday, 7 November at the Marayong Community Centre. I want to take this opportunity to invite anyone in the Chifley electorate who's got concerns with their broadband service to come along to that forum and to speak with me. The service provider representatives will be present on the day, and they'll give updates on what's happening with the rollout in our area. We know the Morrison government will be just as woeful as the Turnbull government and just as woeful as the Abbott government in getting this rollout sorted out, but we can't afford to have Chifley residents left behind. We won't rest until our area gets the services that it deserves. The forum is on 7 November at the Marayong Community Centre, and I encourage everyone to come along. Please don't hesitate to contact my office for further details.

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