Varun Ghosh (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Senator McAllister. The NBN is critical infrastructure which reaches over 12.4 million premises across Australia, providing fast, reliable and affordable broadband across Australia. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to secure this important public infrastructure for the future?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks for the question, Senator Ghosh. You are right: the NBN is absolutely critical. It currently reaches over 12.4 million premises, and it's on track to deliver connectivity to 90 per cent of houses and businesses across Australia by the end of 2025. It's an asset that strengthens connectivity, whoever you are and wherever you are. We know that more than ever it is essential that people have strong and reliable internet. It is not a luxury; it's an essential service. It impacts on how we work and live. It is also critical for sharing information during emergencies.

Today, in the House of Representatives, the Albanese government has introduced amendments to the National Broadband Network Companies Act that provide certainty for industry and consumers by securing ongoing public ownership of the NBN. These amendments demonstrate the government's ongoing commitment to delivering social, economic and employment benefits for Australians. It's actually vital that the ongoing mission of the NBN should be guided by the public interest, not by the interest of shareholders, because it's in our national interest to have internet access that is affordable and accessible. They reinforce that the NBN will remain in public hands for the foreseeable future. It's what we set out in the 2022 NBN statement of expectations. It also delivers on a commitment we made ahead of the 2022 federal election.

We remember when those opposite rushed to declare that the NBN was complete just so they could sell it off. We are working to ensure that the NBN is owned by the Australian people. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ghosh, first supplementary?

Varun Ghosh (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, what other investments and improvements have been made to support the delivery of the NBN across Australian premises in the last two years?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor has a proud history of investing in the NBN. It was established, of course, by a previous federal Labor government because we knew back then what we know now: that access to fast, reliable and affordable internet is a necessity. Since coming to government, we have invested $2.4 billion to expand full-fibre NBN access to 1.5 million additional premises. That includes 660,000 rural and regional communities. From September next year, millions of NBN customers next year will benefit from an increase in download speeds with up to five times the current capability at no extra wholesale cost, and we are rolling out more fibre in the fixed-wireless network, upgrading the fixed-wireless network and planning for future needs. We've connected over 18,000 families with free internet until the end of 2025 through the School Student Broadband Initiative to ensure that no child experiences a digital disadvantage. (Time expired)

The:

Senator Ghosh, second supplementary?

Varun Ghosh (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How is the approach by the Albanese Labor government different from the approach of previous governments? What risk is there to this critical communications infrastructure if this bill is not passed?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's a very good question, Senator Ghosh. I've heard the opposition calling out, interjecting, 'Why is this legislation required?' I can tell you why. It is because those opposite will never pass up an opportunity to privatise critical infrastructure. Privatisation is in their DNA. You can look at their track record on communications infrastructure. First they sold off Telstra and then they made an absolute mess of the NBN. For those in rural and regional Australia, communities that were already separated by distance, the coalition set them up for an enduring disadvantage, subjecting those communities to a second-rate NBN patch-up job. Keeping the NBN in public hands will ensure that that company has the certainty that is necessary for its investment planning and for its operational decisions—the decisions that are needed to maximise the economic and critical social benefits of the NBN. (Time expired)