Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In 2013, Malcolm Turnbull promised that every Australian household would have the NBN by 2013. That deadline and Mr Turnbull have come and gone, yet still many homes and businesses in Perth's south-east have been told they'll have to wait until at least 2020 to be connected to the network. For many who have received it, the service has been highly unreliable and speeds are far below that advertised. Under the Liberals, the cost of the NBN has blown out to $22 billion, the rollout has been delayed and homes and businesses are connected to inferior fibre-to-the-node NBN technology. It's 'fraud-band'. That's why I've asked the people of Burt to help me tell this parliament just what a rubbish service we're receiving. Together, we're asking this parliament and the government to take into consideration the poor NBN capability of Perth's south-eastern suburbs. This petition asks the government to deliver at least fibre-to-the-curb technology to all remaining Burt residents and businesses as a matter of urgency.

Currently, the NBN rollout plans for nearly seven in 10 premises to be connected with substandard fibre-to-the-node technology rather than the superior fibre-to-the-curb or fibre-to-the-premises technology found in other locations and announced with such fanfare by the government. Indeed, while some small areas of Burt are getting fibre-to-the-curb right now, others will still be waiting until 2020 and beyond to merely get fibre-to-the-node. The petition so far has grown to more than 370—that's 370 homes that are stuck, living in the 20th century—and represents thousands more who are frustrated that the suburb in which they live in Perth's metropolitan area has less access to the rest of the world than those who are only a suburb away. As I heard from one resident who lives around the corner from my office, he has a fantastic internet connection, for 2007!

In this process, I've heard from a variety of constituents with a whole range of issues with the NBN. They feel that they have been left in the Dark Ages through no fault of their own. I've heard from residents who have health issues and medical alarms connected. Those residents now live in fear that, should they have a medical emergency, they may not be able to get the assistance they need. I've heard of people voluntarily signing up for excessive 4G bills just so they can stay connected. Not only is the absence of connectivity affecting these people in their ability to connect to the rest of the world; it's affecting their capacity to work. It's affecting students being disadvantaged in getting their homework done and being able to progress in their education.

I present this petition to parliament today with more than 370 signatures from the people of Burt imploring the government to reconsider their NBN rollout before more people in my electorate of Burt are left behind.

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