Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Smith. Put simply, there is no viable alternative. Satellites are the most effective technology to deliver fast broadband in difficult-to-serve premises, including remote areas, and Australia has led the world since the 1960s with satellite technology. This is not an area that we simply set and forget; we're continually improving it, making sure that regional Australians have access to cutting-edge technology.

Today, 88,000 satellite dishes have been installed around Australia, providing homes and businesses access to much needed fast broadband. We created—I'll say it—one of the first national satellite communication systems in the world, which paved the way for the regional communications revolution. We are backing regional Australia through continual investment in digital— (Time expired)