Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Mr Fletcher, the Minister representing the Minister for Communications. My question comes from a constituent who submitted it via my Facebook page after I asked the community what they wanted me to ask in question time. David McIntyre from Cawongla asks, 'When will people living in our area get better internet and mobile phone service?'

Mr Champion interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Wakefield will leave under 94(a). The minister has the call.

The member for Wakefield then left the chamber.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Page for his very important question on behalf of his constituent in Cawongla. As it happens, I have prepared myself for an answer to this question as well, as is consistent with the professional operation of a government that cares about constituents and meeting their needs. It turns out that we have a very good story to tell when it comes to broadband in Cawongla and in other areas of rural and remote Australia. Most of Cawongla is already covered by the NBN fixed wireless footprint, which delivers 25 megabits per second peak speed service down and five megabits per second peak speed service up. There are already some 300,000 premises that are covered by this network. That is a dramatic increase on the numbers that we inherited when we came to government in 2013.

In addition, those in Cawongla who are not covered by the fixed wireless service, which comes from a nearby base station at Homeleigh, will have the benefit of the satellite service. Of course, the first satellite was launched quite recently. That will deliver 25 megabits per second peak speed down and five megabits per second peak speed up, with services due to begin by the middle of next year. So, in Cawongla, as in much of rural and regional Australia all across rural and regional Australia, there is a good story to tell on broadband. We are delivering broadband services. We are rolling them out notwithstanding the chaotic mess that we inherited from the previous government. The Turnbull government is delivering because that is what you do in government. The opposition is asking silly questions and making silly interjections.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has concluded his answer.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order under standing order 102. If their questions are going to be all on notice to the minsters, can't they just do it in the normal way?

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Watson will resume his seat.