Senate debates

Monday, 18 June 2018

Documents

Broadband; Order for the Production of Documents

4:31 pm

Photo of Anne UrquhartAnne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) in its response to question on notice no. 197 from the October 2017 supplementary estimates hearings, NBN Co provided breakdowns on number of premises expected to be ready for service in each state by 2020, broken down by technology type, as well as number of premises expected to be in design and construction in each state by 2020, broken down by technology type,

  (ii) the Senate asked for an update to this information as question on notice no. 145 at the February 2018 additional estimates,

  (iii) the NBN Co responded to question on notice no. 145 with only reference to its response to question on notice no. 197 from the October 2017 supplementary Budget estimates and to other public documents that do not contain the specific information sought,

  (iv) the Senate sought a clarification of NBN Co's response to question on notice no. 145 on 24 April 2018, and requested a response by 3 May 2018,

  (v) the NBN Co did not respond until 9 May 2018 and did not provide an update of the information as requested by the committee, and

  (vi) the Minister for Communications has not complied with the Senate's order for the production of documents, passed on 9 May 2018, that an updated response with information current to 13 March 2018 (the date of the original question on notice) be laid on the table by the Minister for Communications, by 9am 10 May 2018; and

(b) reiterates its position that an updated response with information current to 13 March 2018 be laid on the table by the Minister for Communications forthwith.

Photo of James McGrathJames McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Photo of Gavin MarshallGavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Photo of James McGrathJames McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

The coalition government has put the rollout of Australia's largest and most complex infrastructure project back on track with the introduction of the multitechnology mix. By September 2013, only 51,000 fixed and wireless premises were connected to the NBN under Labor. The rollout is now around 60 per cent complete and, under the coalition government, total connections are poised to reach four million. As a government business enterprise, NBN Co has responsibility for determining the most cost-effective technology selection and rollout timing so as to minimise peak funding, optimise economic returns and deliver affordable broadband for Australians. With this flexibility, NBN Co continually updates its build program and makes technology deployment decisions on an area-by-area basis. The mix of technologies being deployed is updated each year in the company's corporate plan.

Question agreed to.