Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield: Is the minister aware that Caboolture, in the electorate of Longman, has been rated as having the highest number of complaints about the NBN from homes and businesses in Queensland? Can the minister confirm that complaints about the NBN alone increased by 204 per cent in 2017?

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

I thank Senator Watt for his question. The NBN, in contrast to the record of those opposite, is actually being delivered. When those opposite were on the Treasury benches, the NBN was a fantasy. Only 51,000 premises had been connected to the NBN nationwide, despite billions having been spent over four or five years. I am very pleased to advise the chamber that the NBN is now available to more than half the country. It is on track to be completed by 2020, which is a good six to eight years sooner than was proposed by those opposite, and at about $30 billion less cost.

Now, with a project of this scale, where you are effectively transferring the entire nation to a new telecommunications network—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. Senator Watt on a point of order.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance. I have been letting the minister go for some time but he hasn't addressed the point of the question. The question was whether the minister was aware that Caboolture in Longman has been rated as having the highest number of complaints and it asked the minister to confirm that complaints about the NBN alone have increased by more than double. He hasn't come to that yet.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Watt, for reminding the minister of the question. I note he has a minute and one second remaining to answer. I'm listening carefully to the answer, given that you've restated the question. Senator Fifield.

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

As I was saying, with a project of this scale, where you are, effectively, transferring the entire nation to a new network, there will be individuals and businesses who will have an experience that isn't all that we would hope it would be. And I would never seek to diminish the experience of an individual or a household that isn't all that it should be. We have been putting in place a range of measures to enhance the consumer experience and provide greater transparency to consumers. For instance, we have tasked the ACCC with the monitoring of services. They are embedding 4,000 probes in premises around the nation so that individuals will be able to see what the service is that retailers are providing in a particular area.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, a supplementary question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister confirm that since July last year NBN installers have missed over 80,000 appointments?

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

NBN, at my instruction, published a consumer dashboard of measures of consumer experiences that go to things such as NBN getting things right the first time. NBN get things right the first time on about nine out of 10 occasions. We want NBN as an organisation to continually improve the service that they provide. But it's important to recognise—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, on a point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a very direct question. The answer, I'd ask, should be relevant to the question: 'Can the minister confirm that since July last year NBN installers have missed over 80,000 appointments?' There was only one question.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a specific question. The minister has 24 seconds remaining.

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

NBN is one part of the broadband supply chain. The broadband supply chain consists of NBN as the wholesaler. It consists of the retailers who provide the service to the households. Also, there are content providers. Optus is a content provider and is, perhaps, a conspicuous example. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, with a final supplementary question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Perhaps the minister can answer this question. Given that Australia was ranked last out of 28 countries for broadband satisfaction, why won't the Turnbull government join with Labor to establish better NBN wholesale service standards and allow for consumer compensation if their NBN experience isn't up to scratch? Surely, Minister, you can answer that question?

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

Labor, when it comes to consumer safeguards, are actually playing catch-up. I can share with Senator Watt and colleagues here that the ACCC, last year, announced that they were undertaking an inquiry into NBN wholesale service standards. So what the ALP announced over the weekend as their policy is what the ACCC is already doing: undertaking an inquiry into NBN wholesale service standards. There are already existing wholesale service standards between NBN as the wholesaler and the retailers. What ACCC is doing as the regulator—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt on a point of order.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance. I'm specifically asking what the Turnbull government will do. It's not about yet another inquiry from the ACCC about the failed NBN. What's the Turnbull government going to do?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is being directly relevant to the question.

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

The ACCC are doing precisely what the opposition, in their announcement yesterday, said they think should be happening. But it seems the opposition is ignorant of what the ACCC is doing. (Time expired)

Senator O'Neill interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator O'Neill, I've called you a few times this question time.

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They should be telling the truth.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Neill!