Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities representing the Minister for Communications. Will the minister update the House on how the government is working to ensure that the NBN is affordable for consumers and businesses? Is the minister aware of any risks to this important national project?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Barker, who is a very strong advocate for the communications needs of his electorate. A very strong advocate was needed in Barker, because in September 2013, when the coalition came to power, the number of premises connected to the NBN's fixed network wasn't 60,000. It wasn't 6,000. It wasn't 600. It was six! There were six premises connected to the fixed NBN network when the coalition came to power in 2013. Today, of course, the number is 51,000 ready for service, 28,177 connected—99 per cent of the rollout completed in Barker. You could look at another important South Australian electorate, the electorate of Mayo. In September 2013, there were 813 premises connected to the NBN fixed network. Today there are 42,710.

The NBN is being rolled out across the country. Forty-three per cent of premises are now taking 50 megabits per second or higher. And what is the economic impact of the rollout of the NBN? If, for example, you happen to be somebody who is aspirational, somebody who wants to build a business, an interesting report by the Regional Australia Institute says that in the biggest town in Barker, Mount Gambier, it's expected that over the next three years there will be between 240 and 700 additional businesses and 1,200 to 2,370 additional jobs as a result of the NBN being available in Mount Gambier in Barker.

If you are a well-paid Labor MP married to a well-paid bureaucrat, aspiration might be very puzzling to you. As you sip your decaf soy latte, as you munch your kale and quinoa salad, you might wonder: what is this aspiration thing? But I can tell you that in Barker, in Mount Gambier, there could be up to 700 additional businesses and up to 2,370 additional jobs because of the NBN being connected and jobs and economic opportunity are being delivered because the NBN is being rolled out across the country. That is what the coalition government are doing. We are delivering for the people of Australia with the NBN rollout and in so many other ways.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Members on my right!

Mr Morrison interjecting—

The Treasurer will cease interjecting.