Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and John Alexander promised voters in Bennelong before the last election that they'd all have the NBN by now, but last week NBN announced it was immediately halting the rollout of the second-rate NBN to over 40,000 premises in Bennelong. Why will over 40,000 premises in Bennelong now have to wait even longer for the NBN? If John Alexander couldn't keep his last NBN promise, why should voters believe he and this government will deliver any for them now?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We encourage the honourable member to spend as much time in Bennelong as he possibly can. The people of Bennelong know John Alexander very well—

Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They don't like him, though.

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

The member for Greenway is warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

but they also know Kristina Keneally very well. They know that the congestion that is the biggest single complaint of people in that rapidly growing area was created by Kristina Keneally when she failed to build the transit infrastructure, the rail infrastructure that the minister spoke about just a moment ago. She allowed all the development to come in, but did not build the north-west metro.

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

The Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to direct evidence. My question was about the NBN in Bennelong. Why won't the Prime Minister ever talk about the NBN anymore?

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

The Prime Minister is entitled to a preamble, but the question was about the NBN.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a failure of the Keneally state government to not build the transport infrastructure that was needed, and it is now the Berejiklian government that is getting on with the job of building the north-west metro. I was there with the Premier, announcing the commitment to the bus exchange in Bennelong, which will ensure that some of the most congested roads in that electorate will be relieved of that congestion, to the great amenity of the people. The honourable member wants to know about the NBN—good: NBN Co is activating almost as many customers a week as Labor did in six years. That's a very big difference.

Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not in Bennelong!

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

The member for Blaxland is warned as well.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is quite true that they have paused the rollout of NBN on hybrid fibre co-ax, because some customers were getting a poor experience, and they wanted to make sure that they get it right.

Ms Rowland interjecting—

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

I've warned the member for Greenway. I've cautioned her twice. I warned her no more than two minutes ago, and she continues to interject. She will leave under 94(a).

The member for Greenway then left the chamber.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Out of the, I think, 3.3 million customers that have the NBN now activated—there are well over 16 million premises that have it available. It's on track to be available to around three-quarters of Australian households by 30 June this coming year. The company has said it's on track to be completed, in accordance with their schedule, by 2020. The project is underway. The rollout on the hybrid fibre co-ax network has experienced some technical difficulties. They've delayed it or paused it so as to get those difficulties sorted out. People that are on hybrid fibre co-ax now, typically Foxtel customers, have a good broadband service; they're not without broadband at all. This just shows the NBN is delivering but ensuring that they get all of the technology right, so that people get the right experience. It shows that they care about the outcome for consumers, and they're doing that, working right across the country, including in the electorate of Bennelong.