Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I take this opportunity to raise my concerns about the state of broadband roll-out in the northern suburbs of Brisbane. The local network infrastructure is not up to scratch, and Telstra is not responding to the community’s needs in any timely way.

In 2004 I surveyed select local suburbs to gauge broadband access. My initial investigations revealed a patchwork of access, with at least 144 households and businesses in Boondall and Taigum alone—only 20 minutes from the CBD—unable to receive ADSL internet access. In response to community demand and armed with the survey results, I lobbied Telstra to hurry up and deliver. Almost 18 months later, many locals are still reporting the same problems. It is the same old story for frustrated residents in Lilley, with bodgie networks blocking broadband access. There are local broadband black spots throughout the community, where some residents are able to access ADSL services whilst their neighbours a few streets away languish behind with dial-up. This is a completely ridiculous situation in 2006.

A number of locals have approached me to complain that they have been knocked back for ADSL because, they have been told, the network in their local area is not compatible. During my regular mobile office sessions, I have heard familiar complaints from residents in Taigum and Boondall. Both of these suburbs are attracting strong growth, and residents rightly expect that, living within 20 minutes of the CBD, they would have access to broadband. I have made numerous representations on behalf of those who have been denied access to ADSL with Telstra. I am sorry to report that, to date, there has not been a satisfactory response from Telstra about why these residents still cannot gain access to ADSL—residents who rightly, I think, expect the local network to be up to scratch.

This uncertainty is causing a great deal of inconvenience to many of my local constituents, who deserve reliable, fast internet access. It is an unacceptable situation that in mid-2006 households and businesses within a 20-minute drive of the CBD are being denied access to broadband. Fast, reliable access to the internet through broadband ADSL should be an essential part of our modern telecommunications service, and it is simply not fair that some areas are missing out. The failure to deliver adequate broadband to locals in Lilley is an indictment of our current infrastructure. It is vital that the government undertake to deliver broadband to all Australians. The failure to invest in the network has meant that the capability of everyone in my electorate to access ADSL broadband is severely constrained. The local network infrastructure is not up to scratch. I have serious concerns about the delays in the rollout of broadband infrastructure, and it is about time that Telstra came to grips with this problem and did something about it.