Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bishop for his ongoing interest in this portfolio area. The NBN is an historic nation-building project, the positive economic and social effects of which will be felt for generations to come. Last week we released in full the implementation study into the NBN. This study was undertaken by McKinsey and Co. and KPMG. It is highly rigorous and detailed, at over 500 pages and with 84 recommendations for government. It covers a range of critical areas including issues around the technology, financing, ownership, policy framework and future market structure.

The study confirmed that high-speed broadband over a wholesale-only network for all Australians is achievable and can be built on a financially viable basis with affordable prices for consumers. In fact, the study finds that in a number of areas it is possible not only to meet but also to exceed the government’s original objectives. It finds that the original $43 billion total capital cost estimate is conservative and at the high end of the plausible range and identifies a number of opportunities to reduce the bill’s cost. It recommends taking the fibre footprint further than the government originally intended from 90 to 93 per cent and covering the 1.3 million new premises expected to be built to 2017-18. In effect this means the study recommends taking fibre to an extra 1.6 million premises. (Time expired)