John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have a question for the minister. Looking back over the years at mobile telephone signals, the analog system was very good. The previous Labor government shut it down and gave us all the kind words about how there would be a very strong signal from the GSM digital system for country, rural and regional Australia. Of course, the new system was absolutely hopeless. Thank goodness the coalition was elected to government in 1996 and brought in the CDMA signal. That was far better.

Minister, going on the previous history of shutting down analog and bringing in a new system, can you give me a 100 per cent guarantee that, with this new system, no regional or rural area will be worse off as far as signal strength and television reception go? Can you give us a 100 per cent guarantee that you will see that those are in place before you shut down the analog system, which is a most effective system in rural communities?