Anne McEwen (SA, 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 about the funding that was announced on the weekend to provide free set-top boxes to pensioners under the government's digital television switchover program?

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

I thank Senator McEwen for her question. As I announced on Sunday, the government is determined that no pensioners are left in the dark as a result of the switch to digital-only television. The government makes no apology what­soever for providing support to pensioners—who have worked hard all their lives and contributed to our society—to ensure that they are helped to convert to and get the full benefit of this new technology. The household assistance scheme has been a stunning success. We have converted over 38,000—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

When there is silence, we will proceed. Senator Conroy, continue.

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

We have converted over 38,000 pensioner homes for digital television across regional South Australia and Victoria in the 18 months since it commenced the Mildura-Sunraysia region. Under the scheme, a government contracted installer visits the household and installs and demonstrates a set-top box specifically chosen to meet the needs of the elderly or those with a disability. Installers also conduct any cabling and antenna work where necessary. Centrelink performs checks to ensure the installations are working properly.

I note that those opposite supported our amendments to the Social Security Act in 2009 to enable this scheme. In fact, Senator Minchin said at the time, ‘For eligible households, such as pensioners, this measure will provide some certainty about their capacity to access and utilise the equipment needed to deal with digital pictures’. In the other place, the member for Mayo— (Time expired)

Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate who will be eligible to receive a free conversion to digital television under the household assistance scheme? How is the scheme operated?

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

In the other place, the member for Mayo actually answered this question. He said that it is right that the government does help Australians, particularly those at the lower end of the income scale, to switch over to digital television. So there is the hypocrisy. Perhaps Mr Hockey did not bother to phone Senator Minchin. Perhaps he did not bother to phone the member for Mayo, before he made his comments, because those opposite, including Mr Hockey, voted for this program.

The scheme provides essential practical in-home assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in our society, those people who may have no other means of support, to adapt to what can be a confusing new technology for some. A household is eligible to receive assistance under the scheme where at least— (time expired).

Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As a further supplementary question: can the minister also inform the Senate on the progress of the digital switchover in those areas already converted and what benefits are being provided to viewers as a result of the switchover program?

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 inform the Senate that the Gillard government's digital switchover program is making a real difference to the lives of people in regional Australia where we have commenced switching off analog TV. One of the key features of the government's digital switchover program is that we have finally brought viewers in regional and remote Australia access to the same number of TV channels as are available in capital cities—something long thought impossible and certainly never attempted by those opposite. Last week we turned off the analog signals in regional Victoria. More than 455,000 households across the state have made the move to digital-only television. We have had less than 100 complaints in the five days since the switch. (Time expired)