Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Can the minister inform the Senate on the rollout of the National Broadband Network?

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

I thank Senator Bilyk and all my Tasmanian colleagues for their ongoing interest in the National Broadband Network. The National Broadband Network will ensure that Australians, no matter where they live or work, have access to affordable high-speed broadband. It will create jobs, transform service delivery and stimulate activity in the areas of health, education and small business opportunities around the country. The rollout is already well underway. Services are live in Tasmania, in Scottsdale, Midway Point and Smithton. Five service providers—iiNet, Internode, Primus, Telstra and Exetel are already offering services.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Conroy, resume your seat. Interjections are disorderly. I remind senators of that.

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

Customers are enjoying prices as low as $29.95 per month for a 25-megabit service and $59.95 for 100-megabit service. Customers could not be happier. IT technician Robert Pettman from Midway Point said:

It’s awesome. It’s a major speed increase on what I had before ...

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! If you want to continue to inject, I will continue to pull up the conduct of Senate question time—on both sides.

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

The first NBN business user, Mr Stephen Love, from Galloway’s Pharmacy in Scottsdale said:

I’ve taken a 100mbit speed offer, that’s actually very close to the cost of my previous ADSL2+ connection.

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The NBN will provide huge potential, for lots of new applications, especially in health …

What we are seeing right across Tasmania and right across Australia is growing interest in getting access to the National Broadband Network. Right across Australia the Luddites opposite continue to want to offer a second-rate service to the bush, to regional and rural Australia. Shame on you. (Time expired)

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister provide further information to the Senate on the progress of the NBN rollout on the mainland?

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

In addition to Tasmania, the NBN is being rolled out on mainland Australia. Over 2,300 kilometres of the 6,000 kilometres of fibre-optic backbone links in up to 100 regional locations around Australia have been completed. These links include Darwin, Emerald, Longreach, Mount Isa, Geraldton, Victor Harbor, Broken Hill and south-west Gippsland. Construction work has also commenced on the five first-release sites on the mainland—Brunswick in Melbourne, Townsville, Minnamurra and Kiama Downs south of Wollongong, Armidale, and Willunga in South Australia. Planning and design work is underway for 14 new second-release sites, including regional locations such as Geraldton, Casuarina and Coffs Harbour. (Time expired)

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given the progress of the NBN, is the minister aware of claims that the NBN should be stopped? Is the minister aware of any alternative plans?

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

I am aware of claims that the coalition plans to demolish the NBN and consign Australia to the digital dark ages. Those opposite do not have a plan; they have a patchwork. It is not a network; it is a patchwork. The coalition’s focus on wireless defies the advice of industry experts who agree it is complementary technology to fibre. It will not deliver the speed and capacity needed for the delivery of health care, education and the business applications of the future. Professor Robert Braun from the University of Technology Sydney said the coalition’s plan is fundamentally flawed both technically and economically. He said:

Technically, it grabs a bunch of technologies that were already outdated when they were first considered by the Howard government four or five years ago …

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From an economic point of view, the Coalition plan is a disaster.

(Time expired)

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.