House debates

Monday, 24 March 2014

Statements by Members

Broadband

1:32 pm

Photo of Alannah MactiernanAlannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Last week in the parliament the Minister for Communications crowed that, since he had taken charge, since we had entered the brave new land of 'Turnbullistan', 28,000 new brownfield premises had been passed by the NBN in Perth. Of course all of this was the result of contracts let and underway at the time of the election and had nothing to do with the work of the 'emperor of Turnbullistan'. Indeed, the acceleration of output has much more to do with the new processes for rodding and roping that have been developed in Perth, that have reduced the cost and delivery times radically—a development that the 'Turnbullistanis' are now reluctant to promote. Many in my electorate are very angry about being annexed into 'Turnbullistan', as it appears that the new regime has stopped progress on the NBN rollout scheduled this financial year in the suburbs of Bassendean, Kiara, Lockridge, Morley Beach and Eden Hill, which have some of the worst internet speeds in Australia.

The multimillion dollar upgrades to the Bassendean Telstra exchange, so it can function as a large fibre access node, were completed in 2013 and we want to know what is happening with the rollout that was on the NBN schedule construction rollout plan in April 2013. They fear the great delusion— (Time expired)