Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite want to talk about technology. They've opposed electric vehicles, which they said would 'end the weekend'. They've opposed renewable energy. They don't understand the importance of batteries when it comes to storing renewable energy. But you don't just have to take those issues. Those opposite stopped the rollout of fibre to homes and businesses and replaced it with copper. During this COVID pandemic, we have seen how important reliable, quality high-speed internet is. It's not about downloading videos, as those opposite thought. It's about delivering health services. It's about delivering education services. It's about students being able to participate, as we've seen. And it's about businesses being able to have access to markets both domestic and global. Now, as it stands, Australia ranks 59th in the world for broadband speeds and 32nd out of 37 nations in the OECD. If Labor is elected, we'll expand and give access to fibre to up to 1.5 million additional homes and small businesses, 660,000 of them in the regions and 840,000 in the suburbs. We should always have done it right, done it once and done it with fibre.

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 43, it almost being 2 o'clock, the time for members' statements has concluded.