House debates

Monday, 15 June 2015

Statements by Members

Broadband

1:57 pm

Photo of Terri ButlerTerri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I rise to ask—rhetorically, of course, because we know the answer—what is the Abbott government doing about good broadband in this country? And the answer, unfortunately, is nothing. I have constituents coming to my office complaining about the speed of the broadband that they supposedly have in Griffith, within 10 kilometres of the CBD. Every time it rains the internet slows down. We all know that you have to improve productivity in cities. And how do you do it? Broadband. You do it with broadband. I see the Treasurer and the Prime Minister in the House. And the communications minister is here, Mr Turnbull. Please, my constituents want to know: why can't they have fast broadband? Why can't they have fast broadband in Griffith, in Brisbane? They need it for productivity of our cities. They need it now. We are falling behind Asian countries. My constituents are telling me they cannot get decent internet speed. In the middle of Brisbane. It is utterly ridiculous that we cannot have decent broadband. If Labor was still in government we would have decent broadband. The NBN would have been rolling out across Griffith. I have to say, if you want decent broadband in your cities, the only way is to vote Labor. This communications minister, this Prime Minister will not deliver high-speed broadband.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting

Photo of Terri ButlerTerri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Listen to them heckling me, because the truth hurts. (Time expired)