Peter McGauran (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

without any replacement! The Labor Party shut down the analog network to introduce the digital network, without any alternative technology capacity in regional and rural areas where the digital signal is weak and easily interrupted. When we came to government in 1996 this was a major challenge for us: to work with Telstra to install a new technological solution to the problem, which was unprecedented anywhere in the world. We managed to develop with the full assistance, cooperation and innovativeness—even ingeniousness—of Telstra the CDMA network. The CDMA network is now going to move to the Next G network, a new mobile network. The government are working to make sure that this is a smooth transition. We do not want to repeat the Labor Party’s callous disregard for regional Australia of 1995. We welcome, obviously, the 3G network introduction—it offers regional and rural people a new capacity and service—but you do not switch off the CDMA network until the 3G network provides the same or better coverage and services. That is the commitment we have elicited from Telstra, and we will hold Telstra to this promise.

Last year the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts directed ACMA, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, to undertake independent coverage audits of both networks as a key part of verifying Telstra’s public assurance. Those audits include city and regional areas, with a focus on rural and regional and remote areas. The government expects Telstra to keep its commitment to retain the CDMA network until its Next G network provides the same or better coverage and service, especially given that the estimated time to switch off the CDMA network is not far away, being 28 January 2008. Contrast that with Labor’s record in office. Labor disadvantaged regional and rural and remote Australians overnight, socially, economically and culturally, with complete disregard for their wellbeing or welfare.

See this speech in context