House debates

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Statements by Members

Broadband

1:42 pm

Photo of Rebekha SharkieRebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | | Hansard source

I would like to thank the communications minister for inviting me to join him on a recent visit to Mayo to visit businesses using the NBN. We visited Gordon Kay who runs Hacksaw, a space for inventors to develop tech solutions in the Adelaide Hills Business Centre in Woodside. Gordon's dad had one of Australia's first computers in the 1960s. It was so big, it filled a bedroom. Thanks to fast broadband, Gordon's business hub has some 500 members and will be the media station during the next Tour Down Under.

We also visited Andrew Baker in Bridgewater where he operates Data Effects and The Science of Things. Prior to the NBN, Andrew's internet was so bad that he doorknocked neighbours to ask if he could put antennas on their roofs. Now he's working on technologies to combat agricultural pests and diseases, including monitors to record the health of our River Murray.

The NBN has been a lottery in Mayo, but I am working hard to assist individual constituents. I invite residents in Meadows and Mylor to book in to our up-and-coming NBN community forums, and I invite everyone on the south coast to attend our NBN scam watch forum in Victor Harbor. That's on 6 November. You can get more information on my website.

I would like to again thank Gordon and Andrew for their time and fantastic businesses in Mayo.