Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister outline to the Senate the key barriers holding back access to the internet in Australia?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Fifield, just resume your seat. When there is silence, we will proceed. We might need to conduct an investigation as to what was in the water today. A number of people on both sides seem to be a little excited.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. The question was the key barriers to holding back access to the internet in Australia, and I can give the answer in two words: Senator Conroy. If we were to think for a moment that Senator Conroy had decided to stop being an impediment to good policy, we would have been disabused of that in the communications estimates hearing last week. We are all aware of Senator Conroy's contribution in the Defence estimates, but he got limbered up before that in the communications estimates where he accused prominent, distinguished Australian Dr Ziggy Switkowski of being a liar. Shame, Senator Conroy, shame!

As to the barriers over the last two years to internet access: Senator Conroy has been amongst the most prominent. There was his handling of the NBN network, his inability to face the truth—

Senator Conroy interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Conroy!

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. Senator Conroy, as we know, has mishandled the NBN. He has been incapable of facing the truth. And what that means is that this government inherited not just the financial mess but also a company that failed to make inroads in improving broadband services in Australia. The NBN has not just failed in the rollout of fibre, with less than three per cent of premises connected after six years of Labor. There is also the interim satellite scheme, where $351 million has been spent delivering dial-up speeds. Labor's handling of the NBN is being revealed progressively as a financial scandal, as we know, because of the billions wasted, and as a political scandal because of the misrepresentation by those opposite before the last election.

As the various reviews and audits come out, more will be revealed. But what is clear is that the NBN scandal under Senator Conroy dwarfs the likes of the State Bank debacle in Victoria, the Bank of South Australia— (Time expired)

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Just wait a minute, Senator McKenzie. On both sides: Senator McKenzie is entitled to be heard in silence.

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

Order! Senator Macdonald! I am waiting to give Senator McKenzie the call.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. Can the minister inform the Senate how affordability affects households' access to broadband?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Nothing about Labor's NBN was more scandalous than that it ignored the effect of the high prices that would be paid by poorer Australians. Statistics released by the ABS last week confirm that affordability is the single biggest barrier to broadband access in the home. The ABS found that households in the poorest income quartile were more than 10 times less likely to have access to the internet at home than those in the wealthiest quartile. The ABS also found that those in the top income bracket were more likely to access a smartphone or a tablet at home. This was true of 42 per cent of total households in the top income bracket compared with 24 per cent in the bottom bracket.

Labor's NBN treated the interests of the least-well-off households with contempt. We know from the NBN strategic report released in December that, if the NBN had been completed according to Labor's specifications, it would have led to an increase of— (Time expired)

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Thank you, Minister, for a comprehensive answer. Can the minister outline to the Senate the consequences for Australian families of failing to bring the costs of the NBN under control?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If we fail to fix Labor's mess, which forecast that families would be hit with an increase of up to 80 per cent in the cost of their monthly broadband bill, we would be remiss indeed. For a typical household that would be a rise of $43.

That was Labor's broadband policy: a $43 per month increase in prices, taking broadband further out of the reach of the least affluent Australians. That is still the Labor Party's broadband policy, even after the true cost of the policy was laid in an independent report out for everyone to see. Senator Conroy still wants to make it even more expensive for the least well-off to participate in the digital economy. In contrast, affordability continues to be a key area of concern in terms of this government's broadband policy. By using a multitechnology mix we will get the NBN finished four years sooner and at $32 billion less cost. Those opposite will be held accountable for the NBN today, at the next election and for years to come. (Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.