Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister update the Senate on the latest NBN milestones?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the reasons I am particularly happy to receive this question from Senator Smith is that when I was at the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Music event last night, at Queens Terrace, it was a bit of a walk down memory lane when I bumped into former Senator Conroy, who I think we all miss in this place, which got me thinking about the contrast between what our predecessors achieved with the NBN—or did not achieve—and what this government has achieved. So I know that you, Mr President, along with all colleagues, will join with me in being absolutely delighted that last week NBN reached a new connection record of 32,769 service activations in a single week. That is more than 6½ thousand services switched on each and every business day. And not only is NBN hitting new peaks each week; it has this week surpassed the two million mark for connected customers.

Thinking back to a previous time, under a previous government, the contrast has been pretty dramatic. Even looking at the last 10 months under this government, the NBN was available to one million premises in Australia but that number has now climbed to 4.4 million premises. That is an incredible achievement. The former shadow Minister, Mr Clare, described it as a jump that even Evel Knievel could not mount. Anyway, we have managed to do that. So that is good news for all colleagues on the NBN.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a supplementary question.

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister explain to the Senate how the coalition government is delivering better communications in regional areas?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can, and I thank Senator Smith for his particular interest in this area of communications. We as a government have deliberately prioritised underserved areas and regional Australia in the NBN rollout. Today, 70 per cent of premises are able to order an NBN service in regional and non-metropolitan areas. Let me repeat that: 70 per cent of premises able to order an NBN service are in regional and non-metro areas. Around-two thirds of the rollout outside major urban areas will be through fixed line deployment and this will be supplemented, in less dense areas, with fixed wireless and satellite. Together, these technologies are delivering broadband to hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses and farms that previously had to rely on poor or non-existent connectivity. So it is a good story for regional Australia.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a final supplementary question.

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister outline how these achievements with the rollout results compare with the former Labor government?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can, and it is hardly a fair comparison. If we simply take the numbers from NBN's weekly rollout report, which has been updated every single week since we came into government, total activations by 30 June 2011 were only 786. One year later, Labor had made the incredible progress of connecting a total of 13,000 premises! By June 2013, total connections stood at 70,100 nationwide.

I have mentioned the figures that have been achieved under this government. We now have the NBN available to 4.4 million premises. By 2020, the NBN will be complete. That is six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under those opposite at about $30 billion less in cost. We want all Australians to get the NBN as soon as possible and, under this government, they will.

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

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