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

I was not seeking to reflect on any of the senators who engaged in the committee. NBN Co. has made clear on a number of occasions that it has signed agreements with utilities, yet the coalition senators have indicated in their report that NBN Co. has failed to secure agreement with electricity utilities to use their poles. Agreements have been reached in all states and territories required for the aerial rollout with the exception of New South Wales and the only reason for this exception is the unreasonable commercial terms being demanded by the New South Wales government. The coalition has also misrepresented NBN Co.'s performance against its rollout targets, constantly using the forecast from NBN Co.'s 2011-13 corporate plan. Those opposite know full well that the 2011-13 corporate plan was produced before the definitive agreements were finalised, before the deal with Optus was contemplated and before the full impact of the ACCC's decision on 121 points of interconnect was known.

The coalition is desperate to cast the rollout of the NBN in a poor light. This is the only way they can attempt to justify their substandard copper based broadband network. The truth is that the rollout of the NBN is happening in every state and territory across Australia. So far this year NBN fibre has been switched on in sites all over the country, including Aspley, Bacchus Marsh, Blacktown, Coffs Harbour, Darwin, Gosford, Gungahlin, Hobart, Launceston, Toowoomba and Townsville, and to over 300 new developments all over the country.

The only thing those opposite dislike more than seeing progress in the rollout of the NBN is the take-up rates on the fibre network. This is because NBN's take-up rates are world records. The take-up rate is nearly 40 per cent across the country in areas connected for more than 12 months, with more than 66 per cent of households connecting in some areas.

The constant stream of misrepresentation from the coalition is not surprising given its form on the NBN. It was not too long ago that the coalition asserted it would save $50 billion to $60 billion by not proceeding with Labor's NBN. The truth is that the investment by this government in the National Broadband Network is $30.4 billion. Compare that to the coalition proposing to borrow $29.5 billion to build a network that will be obsolete by the time it is built. That is a difference of $900 million to implement a second-rate policy that will create a digital divide in every suburb. In contrast, this government's NBN will ensure that every community in Australia gets fair and equal access to affordable high-speed broadband, including the delivery of a uniform national wholesale price.

I have also heard claims from the coalition that under their broadband policy less of the older pits and ducts would be disturbed. The coalition have made great play on the discovery of asbestos in some pits. That should not have been a surprise to anyone who knows anything about the last century and the previous efforts of Telstra in using asbestos in pits around the country. Everyone who knew anything about it knew there was asbestos in the pits. That is why the government contracted Telstra to remedy the pits and make the pits accessible for the rollout of the NBN. Telstra have accepted responsibility for the asbestos contamination that has taken place and they have put in place clear management procedures and work practice procedures to ensure that that does not happen again.

The opposition spokesperson, Mr Turnbull, has tried to argue that there will be no asbestos disturbed under the fibre-to-the-node and copper based network of the coalition. But under the coalition's broadband policy they cannot avoid dealing with asbestos as over 60,000 nodes would be built. The coalition policy also requires duct and pit access in a number of cases, such as for running fibre between three million and four million homes. They will also run fibre to the basement in apartment blocks. With fibre on demand, the coalition plans to charge Australians up to $5,000 to connect to fibre. It is untrue to say that the coalition's proposal will mean that asbestos will not be disturbed. It will be disturbed. It is clear that this is part of the coalition's tactic to try to discredit the NBN, to try to destroy the NBN—one of the best, most visionary and most productive public works that this country has ever seen. On that basis, I commend the report to the Senate.