David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister update the Senate on the National Broadband Network's latest milestone?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bushby for his question and long interest in the nation's largest infrastructure project. Through you, Mr President, I am very pleased to advise colleagues that today four million Australian homes and businesses can now access the NBN. That is four million and 46 thousand to be exact, or one-third of the nation. That is one million additional homes and businesses in just six months.

From the far north of Queensland to Bunbury in WA, the NBN is being switched on at almost 30,000 workplaces and homes each and every week. With this scaling up, the NBN is on track to be available to half of Australian homes and businesses by the middle of the year. And the great news is that the benefits of the NBN are now being felt around the nation. As you would know, Mr President, distance education students can now see their classmates by video; regional wineries can operate their head offices from the cellar door; and families can get their bills paid, homework completed and shopping done all at the same time.

It would be easy to forget, if I did not remind colleagues, that things were not always like this. Between 2010 and 2013 there were only 51,000 premises connected to the NBN. That is not 51,000 in one electorate or one state; that is 51,000 premises in the entire nation. So we have made dramatic progress since the change in 2013. And the NBN will be finished six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under those opposite. (Time expired)

David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister explain how the minister's multitechnology mix has contributed to this increase in rollout speed?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can. Just as when it comes to energy we are technology agnostic, when it comes to the NBN we are also technology agnostic. I have said to colleagues before that former Senator Conroy had what I would characterise as a theological approach to the rollout of the NBN. We are taking a technology approach. The great news is, because we use the technology that makes sense in a given area, because our mandate regarding the NBN is to roll it out as soon as possible and at lowest cost, the NBN will be completed, is on track to be completed, and is on budget to be completed by 2020. That is six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under those opposite and at $30 billion less cost—finished sooner, at less cost, on time, on budget.

David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a further supplementary question. Can the minister outline how Australian taxpayers and consumers are benefiting from the coalition's faster and more affordable NBN rollout.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks. I can assist, Senator Bushby, in how consumers and taxpayers will benefit through the coalition's approach. It is quite straightforward: if the project costs less, taxpayers will pay less for it. If the project costs less, the people who access voice and data over the NBN will pay less in what they are required to render to the NBN through their retail service providers. That is what we are about: seeing the NBN—

Senator O'Neill interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Neill.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

built as soon as it possibly can be, because that is when you get the full national economic benefits. You do not get that until you have all Australian homes and businesses able to access the NBN. If we had continued with the approach of those opposite, there would be many Australians who were waiting until 2026 or 2028. Can you imagine that, Mr President?—Australians having to wait until 2026 or 2028? We said, 'No way. We're going to do better. All done, all dusted, by 2020.' (Time expired)