Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. Can the minister confirm that households which opt out of the National Broadband Network when it passes them can face a cost of $300 if they want to retain telephone service after Telstra rips out their copper line or, if this is not the cost, what will that cost be?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The fact is that under the policy we have introduced no-one will be forced to connect to the NBN; no-one will be forced to subscribe to an NBN service.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Robb interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Goldstein is warned.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are connecting fibre to the owner’s premises at no charge to the owner or occupier. The opt-out model will allow the NBN to be rolled out faster and will reduce construction costs. The fact is that the way that we are rolling it out means that every owner has the right to say, ‘No, I don’t want an NBN connection,’ and that is why we have allowed for that.