Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My constituency question is to the Minister for Major Projects, Territories and Local Government. Will the minister update the House on the NBN rollout in Brisbane and explain the exciting opportunities presented by HFC technology?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I particularly thank the member for Brisbane, who is a very strong champion for her community. She is busy bringing broadband to Brisbane. That has been her priority: bringing broadband to Brisbane—and isn't she delivering on it.

Ms Brodtmann interjecting—

Let's look at the number of premises in the rollout plan for Brisbane—76,220 premises will have access to the NBN, or work will be underway, by 30 September 2018.

Ms Brodtmann interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Canberra will cease interjecting.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the member is fully aware, the coalition's multi-technology mix is particularly well suited to a densely populated area like the electorate of Brisbane. It involves an appropriate mix of fibre to the node, fibre to the basement, fibre to the home and, as she rightly says, HFC, or hybrid fibre-coaxial. All of these technologies are available to nbn co and this allows nbn co to make the right technology choice for the right location and, in turn to get the NBN rolled out quickly. Indeed, by 30 September 2018, nationally, more than nine million premises will have the network either completed or under construction.

Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not in Canberra.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Canberra I ask to cease interjecting.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The National Broadband Network is rolling out fibre to the node at a rate of 10,000 premises a week and, by the end of the year, it is on track to hit 25,000 premises a week. This is quite a change from the Labor years, when it was all about a customised bespoke service for just a small number of people. It was not a broadband service, actually; it was a political service. If you wanted a photo opportunity with Julia in the 2010 election, 'Yes, we can do that for you.' If you wanted a photo opportunity with Kevin in the 2013 election, 'Yes, we can do that for you.' If you wanted one of those photos of Stephen Conroy helping to feed in the fibre, 'No problem; NBN was just terrific at doing that.' If you wanted trucks driving around the country telling you how marvellous the NBN was going to be, Labor were very good at delivering those trucks. But what they were hopeless at was delivering a network.

By the time we came to government, after 4½ years, Labor had delivered to barely over 300,000 premises. Their track record of delivery was extremely disappointing. They could spend $6 billion and they could whack on the hi-vis vests and pose for a photo, but what they could not do was actually deliver a network. That is the difference with the Turnbull government. We are delivering the National Broadband Network. The member for Brisbane is delivering for her electorate.

Ms Brodtmann interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Canberra is warned.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Turnbull government is delivering for the nation. We are getting the NBN rolled out, while the other side simply dreams.

Ms Brodtmann interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Canberra has been warned.