Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] I wish to explain to the House how the beautiful town of Berry, the town of trees, has been so badly impacted by the decisions of this government, given the failed NBN rollout of unequal technologies. Berry has a residential population of just over 3,000 people and a village atmosphere of traditional country charm but a complete maze of access to the NBN. Fibre to the premises is only for the lucky few. Fibre to the kerb is likely just the other side of the street. Fibre to the node: yes, I mentioned it was a maze all right. But it gets worse. There is also fixed wireless and satellite delivery. Is there another town of this size in Australia that holds the full house with five means of NBN delivery?

The compounding impact of this reckless planning is when the NBN fixed wireless meets congested mobile phone towers. Visit Berry on any weekend, holiday times especially, and the population easily doubles. However, tourism brings more than just congestion on the roads. Data congestion is a whole new beast. As the Berry chamber of commerce represented to me, local shops, cafes and restaurants discover interruptions to EFTPOS services, crucial QR-code check-ins and card readers. Small business suffers again under the Morrison government. I'm calling for an urgent upgrade to the capacity of telecommunications services in Berry.