Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about the diabolical farce that is the rollout of the National Broadband Network in my electorate of Grayndler. My office is currently inundated with requests from constituents trying to navigate the atrocious half-measure that is this coalition government's 'fraudband' network. The problems are a direct result of policy failure.

Fibre to the premises—every home and every business—was Labor's plan, a universal system that recognised that fibre in the 21st century was as important as water or electricity, an acknowledgement that high-speed broadband is essential for education and health. Under this government though, particularly under Malcolm Turnbull as the minister, he unravelled that. We have a mix of fibre to the premises, fibre to the node, fibre to the basement and hybrid fibre coaxial cable, where there was just one plan before. We have even had the purchase of some 15 million metres of copper wire to complete the NBN—a farce in the 21st century. Two weeks ago, The New York Times reported that Morgan Jaffit, a Brisbane based video games developer, had used registered post rather than uploading files, because that was quicker. The fact is that we need 21st century technology, and that means fibre to the premises.