Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her comment on 7 September where she said:

Whether you’re on the broadband in Tamworth or on the broadband in CBD Sydney … the wholesale price for your broadband will be the same.

Will the Prime Minister rule out the recommendation in the McKinsey implementation study which recommends that NBN Co. charge regional service providers a separate amount to access transit backhaul, which would result in higher costs to regional consumers?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. Following our commitment about wholesale prices being the same for regional Australia as they are for urban Australia, the government has instructed NBN Co. to take that approach to wholesale pricing. What I can guarantee to the member is that the National Broadband Network will be delivered with wholesale prices the same for users of the National Broadband Network whether they are in Tamworth or whether they are in Tarneit in my electorate or anywhere else in the country. We are determined to make that happen.

I would also say to the member, who represents a regional area in this place, that for him and his constituents this availability of the National Broadband Network at the same wholesale price will enable a transformation of local economies and local service delivery. Consequently I would ask the member, as he moves around and talks to others on his side of politics, to be making that point about the benefits for his local community.

There appear to be three positions about the National Broadband Network in this parliament—the Leader of the Opposition’s, who wants to demolish it; the member for Wentworth’s, who wants to delay it; and that of those on this side of the House joined by regional independents, who want to build it because of the benefits for Australia, particularly regional Australia.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government and Minister for the Arts. What are the benefits to regional Australia of the National Broadband Network? What steps is the government taking to ensure the needs of regional communities are a priority in the implementation of the NBN and what is the government’s response to any obstacles to the passage of the required legislation?

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for McEwen for his question because he has been a tireless advocate for the importance of broadband to his regional constituency. For regional Australia this is a compelling case. Failure to address access to fast-speed broadband will see regions held back. The Local Government Association conducted a very extensive survey about this some four or five years ago and found that those regions that had broadband access were the ones that grew faster and created jobs. In fact it concluded that the failure to provide fast-speed broadband was costing the regions close to $3 billion in lost product and up to 30,000 jobs. That is why we on this side of the House are committed to ending the digital divide. We know that the capital cities have more access to it than the regions. We want the regions to grow, but they are not going to be able to do it unless they have access to the infrastructure that enables them to do it. That is why we are embarking on the National Broadband Network rollout, a rollout that will increase the capacity of the network but also deliver it, in the way we have constructed it, at a uniform wholesale price. In other words, we are addressing both availability and affordability.

High-speed broadband is essential for businesses who are looking to establish in regional Australia because it is fundamental to them accessing global supply chains. As a former trade minister I understand the importance of nations accessing global supply chains, but unless we are enabling the regions to do it they will be left behind. Beyond the e-commerce opportunities there are huge opportunities with our broadband rollout for e-health and e-education, both areas in which this government has committed substantial resources to build the physical infrastructure. What we want to do is build the telecommunications and broadband infrastructure so that the applications, insofar as those institutions are concerned, are affected. This is not just about improving voice access over the internet; it is the data access. So this is essential to regional development.

Now I am asked: are there any obstacles to this? Too right there are. There is the delay by those sitting on the other side of this chamber as to every attempt that we have made to roll this out. That delay, that procrastination, on that side of the House will hold regional Australia back. I urge all of those that argue that they have got an interest in regional economic development to understand the fundamental importance of this, as to enforcing it and encouraging it, and to get behind our initiatives and support them.