Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, upon notice, on 30 May 2012:

In relation to the National Broadband Network rollout in Tasmania, were plans submitted for each local council area in Tasmania or other geographic regions; if so:

  (a)   can a list be provided specifying each local council area or geographic region for which a plan was submitted and the date it was lodged;

  (b)   how many alterations were made to each submitted plan, including for each alteration:

     (i) its lodgement date,

     (ii) the date it was approved,

     (iii) the reason for the alteration, and

     (iv) the cost implication of the alteration; and

  (c)   what was the advertising of any plan and any alteration, including the advertising medium and cost.

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

The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

The Telecommunications Act 1997 provides carriers with immunity from state and territory planning laws when installing low-impact facilities, temporary defense facilities or facilities for which a Facility Installation Permit has been obtained. The installation of all other telecommunications facilities is subject to state and territory planning laws. As a wholesale carrier, NBN Co is subject to these laws. Whether a plan is required to be lodged with local councils is a matter for state and territory laws and/or individual local council requirements.

The Australian Government does not collect information on documents lodged with local governments by carriers.