Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to express my concern about the poor coordination of the NBN long-term satellite rollout in my electorate of Indi. A significant number of constituents have contacted my office to express frustration about financial loss, business disruption and isolation as a result of trying to connect to the NBN long-term satellite. I understand the nature of the relationship between NBN Co as a wholesaler and the downstream providers and stakeholders; however, this business model creates a vacuum for end users and inevitably they are seeking clarification about how things can happen in the transition. NBN Co are advising constituents that they can now place an order with an eligible LTSS provider but constituents are finding that they have to wait months to be allocated a potential connection time.

Some constituents have had their previous sources of the internet—ISS and ADSL—cut off on or before the LTSS appointment date, which has caused huge disruption in the cases where their LTSS has not been working. Providers have liaised with constituents and NBN Co contractors to create appointment times for connections which have then been cancelled or rescheduled without any notice and then they have failed to turn up to rescheduled appointments, sometimes four and five times in a row. Contractors have allegedly signed off on work completed but constituents have found that the service is not working and then they having to pursue NBN or their provider for further appointment times. This is not good enough.