Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Interim Satellite Service is a very important issue and goes to the people I represent, as a Western Australian senator; they are those electors across regional Australia—not just in Tasmania but also in Western Australia.

Here is a very brief history lesson. In 2011 when the Interim Satellite Service was launched, 165,000 households and businesses were told they were eligible. That probably sounds fair enough, except that the satellite only had capacity for 48,000. So why was the minister for communications, Senator Conroy, not telling the truth? Then again, in early 2013, the former government—of which you were all members—said that the number of eligible households and businesses that could get the Interim Satellite Service would rise to 250,000 off the same satellite that still only had capacity for 48,000.

Opposition senators interjecting —

You should be grateful you live in Tasmania, because I will share with you what happened in Western Australia. If you read the strategic review, you will discover that the National Broadband Network, under your former government, passed just 55 per cent of the almost 846,000 that were detailed in the corporate plan. Do you know what that is? Guess what percentage of the total rollout that is—three. There was just three per cent of the total rollout under your plan. There is much to be embarrassed about.

But let us talk about Western Australia. Of the 335,000 premises passed in this country under the NBN, under your guidance, guess how many were passed in Western Australia—just 16,000. Guess how that compares with Tasmania—30,000. We have something to complain about; you have little to complain about. Of the 16,000 that were actually activated in Western Australia, guess how many were activated at existing premises—guess how many of 16,000— (Time expired)