Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network I present the fifth report of the committee and seek leave to move a motion in relation to the report.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

I present the fifth report of the Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network, entitled Review of the Rollout of the National Broadband Network. This covers the period 1 July to 31 December 2012, as well as other current issues reported after this period. During its fifth review, the committee examined: the NBN rollout of fibre, fixed wireless and satellite services; performance reporting; the potential of private equity to fund the NBN; and Telstra workforce issues associated with the retraining funding bid under the Telstra agreement.

The committee made five recommendations. Chapter 1 sets the scene for the fifth review and provides commentary on the timing and quality of information provided to the committee. Chapter 2 provides analysis of the NBN rollout key performance indicators, an overview of the remaining regulatory matters associated with the ACCC's consideration of the NBN Co. special access undertaking, continued discussion on the connection of multidwelling units to the NBN and an overview of matters relating to the costing of alternative NBN models. Chapter 3 of the committee's report looks at the NBN rollout in regional and remote Australia. A combination of the three NBN technologies—fibre, fixed wireless and satellite—will be rolled out to regional and remote communities. This provides significant opportunities for communities in regional Australia. The committee was therefore interested in how NBN is balancing construction of the network across metropolitan and regional locations. The committee felt it would be useful to hear more about the regional aspects of the rollout and made a recommendation to that effect.

The committee was also interested in the rollout of the fixed wireless and satellite networks in regional and remote Australia. It noted that in February 2013, NBN Co. announced plans for a new, faster tier that is 25 megabits down and five megabits up for its fixed wireless and long-term satellite services for regional and remote communities. This is a quantum leap in service delivery for regional and remote Australia. It means that regional and rural Australians can access higher speeds than anyone in metro Australia can over the ADSL network.

Chapter 4 considered private equity engagement and workforce issues. The committee has investigated the points of entry for private investment in the NBN in all five of its reports to date. The committee recommended the government continue to consider investor interest in the NBN and the optimum capped capital structure for NBN Co. On the matter of NBN workforce issues, the committee continued to be interested in progress under the Telstra Retraining Funding Deed. Under this deed the government has committed to provide $100 million to Telstra to support the availability of an appropriately trained workforce.

The committee also heard that NBN Co. and the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy had undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure an appropriately skilled workforce to support the NBN rollout. On this important area the committee recommended the NBN Co. continue to work with contractors to ensure sufficient mobilisation of skilled labour to meet NBN rollout targets. It also recommended that the NBN Co. continue to update NBN workforce modelling data to assist with planning for changing NBN training needs and workforce demand.

I would also like to say a few words about the dissenting report tabled by the coalition. Those opposite certainly know the adage, 'If you are going to tell a lie, tell a big one.' When it comes to the NBN, they tell a series of crackers. In their dissenting report to the fifth report of the joint committee on the NBN, the coalition continued this tactic. They assert—