Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome news this week of a further rollout of the NBN in Hume. NBN Co will be working with local councils at Goulburn and Yass on the planning of a new set of fixed wireless towers in the broader Goulburn area, outside the city and in smaller village locations, and on proposed new towers around the rural areas outside the township of Yass. This is great news for residents of smaller communities who are struggling to secure reliable internet.

The fixed wireless network uses 4G technology to deliver speeds of up to 25 megabits per second. And these are faster speeds than city based ADSL connections. Access to the fixed wireless network is a leap forward in speed and service and it has huge potential, particularly for small businesses, including farmers around Goulburn and Yass.

We have also heard this week that NBN towers at Bribbaree and Mt Weedalion near Young have been switched on, bringing fast internet to an additional 150 premises in Hume. These connections follow the recent switching on of other towers at Cowra, Cowra West, Koorawatha, Noonbinna, and Young West, allowing access to 1,200 premises.

The coalition is committed to rolling out the NBN. It will do it as quickly as possible and at the least cost to taxpayers. It will prioritise areas of greatest need, and smaller villages in my electorate have a great need for faster internet services.