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? What has been the response of Australians to the first stages of the NBN rollout?

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

I thank the senator for her ongoing interest and, more importantly, congratulate her on getting the question to the right minister in the right portfolio. I am delighted to say that in Tasmanian stage 1—

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

See if you can get through it without reading it word for word from your laptop.

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

I hope we do not have to put you through a drug test soon, Senator Brandis, because I think you would fail.

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

You should not say that, Senator Conroy. I think you should withdraw that.

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

I withdraw that, Mr President.

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

And those on my left should cease interjecting. Senator Conroy, continue with your answer.

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

I am delighted to say that, in Tasmanian stage 1 communities, more than 50 per cent of people have asked for NBN to provide a fibre connection to their premises. On the mainland of Australia the response to the NBN has been even more enthusiastic. Construction has already commenced in the mainland first-release sites. In Townsville 57 per cent of premises have asked for a connection, in Minnamurra-Kiama Downs it is 74 per cent, in Willunga it is 84 per cent and in Armidale, in the electorate of New England, 87 per cent of premises have asked for an NBN fibre connection. Services will go live in these areas in the middle of next year. There is no doubt that this shows a strong hunger in the community for the high-speed fibre broadband services that the NBN offers. The Leader of the Opposition and those opposite need to explain to the people in regional towns like Willunga and Armidale why they do not deserve to have a world-leading broadband service. You have to explain why these people do not deserve a world-class broadband service.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Senator Conroy, just resume your seat. People are a little bit excited. It might be because we are having question time an hour later. I do not know if that is the cause, but if that is the cause we will just pause a moment and when there is silence we will proceed.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tell us how much they’re going to pay, Steven.

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

If people want to debate the issue, the appropriate time is at the end of question time, Senator Macdonald. Senator Conroy, continue.

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

Those opposite also need to explain to people like the Mayor of the Shire of Barcoo, Mr Bruce Scott, who is prepared to put up his ratepayers’ money to deliver them a fibre service—(Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer. Is the minister aware of any feedback from people about the NBN first-release sites?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

When people decide there is going to be silence, we will proceed. Senator Conroy has the call.

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

I recently read some comments from residents of Willunga South, South Australia. Mr Stephen Nye, the owner of Clippers Hair Designs, believes that the NBN is:

… a fantastic idea. This will go down in history as one of the most intelligent decisions any Australian government has made ... this is very much needed for the area. Willunga residents have suffered long and hard with very very poor or no reception ... there is a very positive vibe around town about this, almost a buzz.

Liz Milford, a Flinders University project manager, said:

My husband works from home ... and I also do a lot of work and multi-tasking at home. Both the kids are very much into everything internet related at the moment, so as they get older there’s going to be more and more pressure from the home-work side of things. All these things our current internet connection can’t cope with.

(Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask a second supplementary question. Is the minister aware of any alternative broadband proposals?

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

Yes, I have seen some media reports that the opposition has come up with yet another broadband plan. That would be their 20th in 15 years. They privatised Telstra as a vertically integrated monopoly. Now they claim to support the structural separation of Telstra, but they have no plan to deliver it. They want to consign Australians to an indefinite future using the same old copper network, and they will not explain how they are going to deliver their 12 megabits to everyone on the copper network. They think Australians deserve a second rate broadband service, like those residents in Willunga, like those residents in Armidale, like those residents in Townsville. They have to explain to them why they cannot have a world-class network. (Time expired)