Senate debates

Wednesday, 27 June 2018

Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers

Broadband

3:11 pm

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

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Communications (Senator Fifield) to a question without notice asked by Senator Urquhart today relating to NBN services in Tasmania.

It was another question on how the Liberals' National Broadband Network is failing the people of north-west and the west coast of Tasmania. It clearly referenced comments from the then Devonport mayor, now National senator for Tasmania, Steve Martin—a man who once prided himself on his independence, but who has sold himself down the river and joined the New South Wales Nationals.

Senator Martin said that the Liberals copper NBN is like 'driving a Mercedes-Benz to the node and then jumping on a penny-farthing.' A penny-farthing! I think that's a bit harsh on the people of Evandale and their wonderful penny-farthing festival, but the spirit of Senator Martin's comments ring true. His comments were opposed at the time by the belligerent Brett Whiteley, a man who just doesn't care; a man whose sole focus in public life is to attack, to demean and to push all responsibility onto individuals. Mr Whiteley's purpose for being in government is not to achieve things for our communities in Braddon, but to push his extreme ideology, which is so out of touch with what workers want, what businesses want and what the community needs. He wants to divide our community into haves and have-nots; he wants to back in his mates in Canberra over the needs of people of rural and regional Tasmania. The fact is that the CBDs of Devonport and Burnie have missed out on fibre-to-the-premises NBN for one reason and one reason only: Brett Whiteley was too weak to stand up to Mr Malcolm Turnbull, the then communications minister.

Senator Martin said last year:

It's easy to set up a business in Launceston or Hobart because the infrastructure is already there and it's there for the future …

That's what he said. He went on:

Fibre to the node is catered for the present day—it's not futuristic. We're not second-rate citizens on the North-West Coast.

Alderman Martin then concluded by accusing the coalition government of not doing its homework and questioned:

… how long is the copper going to last anyway?

A few weeks ago, Senator Martin said that he would work within government to deliver more positive outcomes in areas like health and infrastructure, but since then he's made no effort to outline how he will actually make a difference. Today he asked a soft question to Minister Scullion, but sought no answers for the people of Braddon on the misleading comments made by Senator Colbeck and Mr Brett Whiteley on the Roads of Strategic Importance fund.

Back when Senator Martin made his comments as a mayor, he was joined at media events with the then Burnie mayor, Anita Dow. Unlike Senator Martin, who was just throwing loose barbs around with no substance, Ms Dow was trying to get some policy changes out of the Turnbull government. Ms Dow was trying to secure a fibre-to-the-premises rollout for Burnie after the Turnbull government brazenly shafted them, despite earlier promises. But, after meeting with NBN representatives, the then Braddon member, Brett Whiteley, and Minister Fifield's staff, Ms Dow was left extremely disappointed. Instead of working with the council to remedy the debacle, Brett Whiteley told the businesses of Burnie they could get a tax deductible connection to fibre to the premises, but of course the businesses of nearby Somerset, just five minutes down the road, did not have to pay; the businesses in Smithton, an hour down the road, did not have to pay; and the businesses in Launceston and Hobart did not have to pay.

Mr Whiteley said at the time that Ms Dow should be more positive. What an absolutely disgraceful thing to say about a hardworking mayor, as she was then. He then said the evidence clearly shows that the satisfaction rate of FTTN network users is equal to users of the gold-plated FTTP technology, which is blatantly misleading. The real fact is that fibre-to-the-node experiences three times as many complaints as fibre to the premises—three times; not a bit more, not double, but three times. Brett Whiteley got this fact so horribly wrong because he didn't listen to the concerns of the people of Braddon. He didn't listen to then Mayor Martin when he said copper would deteriorate, that FTTN left north-west Tassie behind Launceston and Hobart and that the Liberals were treating north-west Tasmanians as second-class citizens, and they continue to treat north-west Tasmanians as second-class citizens. He didn't listen then and he doesn't deserve to be re-elected now.

3:16 pm

Photo of David FawcettDavid Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I too rise to take note of the answer to the question by Senator Urquhart. Her contribution just then highlights the fact that the question was not so much about broadband; it was about the fact that the ALP is clearly concerned about the campaign being run by Mr Brett Whiteley in Tasmania. He was an effective member before and he will be an effective member into the future, and, more importantly, he will be an effective member of a government which is transforming Australia's economy such that people who wish to have effective communications can afford to actually purchase the services to have effective communications, as well as all the other services that Australians expect governments of various levels to provide, whether that be for health or education, social security or, importantly, the defence of the nation. Brett Whiteley will be part of a team that allows the growth in our economy to afford those services.

Let's come to the issue of the NBN. What we saw with the NBN that was promised by those opposite, which they so vigorously seek to defend in this place, was an on-the-back-of-an-envelope type plan of something that locks in a particular technology. As we look around the world, countries like the US, the UK, Germany, France and others roll out a technology mix. NBN multitechnology includes fibre to the node, some 40 per cent; fibre to the curb, some eight per cent; fibre to the premises, 17 per cent; HFC, 27 per cent; fixed wireless, five per cent; and satellite, three per cent. Why is that important? It's important because Australia is a wide and varied place with different communities. South Australia is a great example where we have many small communities with large distances to travel and small populations. To try to apply a one-size-fits-all would not be necessarily affordable nor effective. Even the opposition, when they were rolling out their plan, realised that you needed a technology mix, which is why they included things like satellite in the plan that they brought forward.

As we look forward, what we see with technologies such as 5G on the horizon is a continual march of new technology which will revolutionise the concept of the Internet of Things, which means that demand for the internet, for broadband, is not going to be all based around somebody's home or business. The advent of small satellites providing constellations that give broad coverage is the basis of the investment we see from so many firms into the space sector. One of the reasons the government is creating a space agency in Australia to link in with the growing opportunities around the world is to provide an industry base for the kind of venture capital we see already coming to Australia—$5 million, including to one South Australian company that is looking to launch fleets of nanosats as part of this internet of things.

Those rapid developments in the technology that is responding to consumer demand is why fixed—to the home, to the business—is not the only solution. It's not the solution that the Australian consumer is demanding. The vast majority of people access the internet, access broadband, access data, through their mobile phone, through their iPad, through a range of devices that are mobile. The whole essence of much of our economy and technology now is mobile. People want that in order to actually have the information where they need it in their business place. Now, some people choose to have fibre to the home or fibre to the business, but many people are choosing to move away from the fixed landline concept because they want mobile, because it works for their business.

So the government, unlike those opposite, is putting in place a system whereby people can get access to the bandwidth that they need at a price they can afford that also uses a technology mix that meets the needs of individual consumers and the vast demographic differences around Australia—our geography and our distances. Their plan would have cost some $30-billion-odd more. This government is putting a system in place more quickly, with more flexibility and more options for growth into the future, which doesn't just stick to an ideological plan on the back of an envelope but actually meets the needs of Australia's consumers and businesses who want to keep growing our economy. (Time expired)

3:21 pm

Photo of Lisa SinghLisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Well, a big mistake may have been made by Senator Martin—that big mistake being, of course, joining the Nationals of New South Wales. But if there is one thing Senator Martin is not mistaken on it is the fact that the Liberals' copper NBN has penny-farthing speeds. He said it himself, and today we heard a response from Minister Fifield, who didn't want to go near Senator Martin's interpretation of the Liberals' NBN speeds. But Senator Martin's now sitting as part of the coalition, and he is there, on the record, admitting the speeds that Braddon voters are experiencing.

I listened to Senator Fawcett's response. I don't know what he was rambling on about, but certainly he is out of touch with the experiences of the people of Braddon. The experiences of the people of Braddon, as Senator Urquhart outlined, are not the same as those of Prime Minister Turnbull's electorate. Some 99 per cent of Prime Minister Turnbull's electorate can access speeds of 100 megabits per second. That is not the case for the people of Braddon. That just shows you how this government has walked away from regional Australia—completely walked away. And what could be the worst outcome for the people of Braddon is that Brett Whiteley would be re-elected. He was a failed member for Braddon when he was there before, and he would be exactly the same if he was back there again. That is not what we need, and I want to give this Senate an example of just how and why we need Justine Keay re-elected in Braddon.

The NBN should be a crucial tool to health services in Tasmania—in all of Tasmania. But in the electorate of Braddon, the Turnbull government's failings are leaving that community at risk of losing crucial health services. We're not talking about using your mobile phone, as Senator Fawcett talked about. We're talking about the use of NBN in our health system. We're talking about the use of NBN in our hospitals—crucial, life-saving operations and services needed in our health system. In designing the node to service for the North West Regional Hospital in Burnie precinct, the mistakes of NBN have meant that decent speeds could not be achieved. Located in the precinct is the Charles Clinic Heart Care, which provides critical care to patients. The key requirement for that heart centre was upload speeds. They needed a guaranteed 10 megabits per second to connect their cardiology equipment through to their main clinic in Launceston. But the coalition government, the NBN, refused to guarantee this speed. The speed the NBN provided was little faster than dial-up. The clinic was faced with having to close the door or significantly reduce their services. This would have been a devastating blow to patients last year. But Justine Keay understood the importance of this clinic to the health and welfare of the people of Braddon. After a public campaign by the heart clinic and Justine Keay, the NBN agreed to build a micronode closer to the hospital precinct. However, they still wouldn't guarantee the upload speed of 10 megabits per second. The heart clinic couldn't wait for the months that it was going to take for the NBN to build a new micronode and weren't happy with not having an upload speed guarantee, so they ended up partnering with Tas Communications, and Tas Communications then provided that long-term solution of a 10 megabits upload speed.

Heart disease is a leading cause of illness on the north-west coast of Tasmania. Many patients simply can't go to Launceston to see their specialists but would have been forced to do so with the Turnbull government's shoddy NBN if Justine Keay and the heart clinic hadn't campaigned. If that is not a clear example of why we need Justine Keay back in Braddon and of how the coalition government and the NBN are failing the people of Braddon and regional Australia—and I'm sure there are other examples in other regional electorates where the Liberals are failing the people who live in regional Australia—then I don't know what is. The people of Braddon and the people out in the regions deserve better than the NBN just being at 99 per cent of 100 megabits per second in Malcolm Turnbull's electorate.

3:27 pm

Photo of Ian MacdonaldIan Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I'm surprised Senator Singh mentioned 'heart' so often when one of her Tasmanian colleagues, Mr Hart, can't agree with Mr Shorten and his approach to taxation. But I'm not going to talk about Braddon. I think Brett Whiteley is a wonderful candidate who is so in tune with the electorate that he doesn't need my support to win that electorate. As for Justine Keay, I don't know her; I've never heard of her. All I know about her is that she was taking her pay as a member of parliament when she knew she wasn't entitled to it.

I am particularly pleased about this debate because I know the people of Longman are very keen to connect up to the NBN. In fact, 86 per cent is the rollout completion in Longman already and 68 per cent of premises have already taken up NBN services. The LNP candidate for Longman, 'Big Trev Ruthenberg', is very keen to see his electorate completely connected to the NBN—and it is being done for the people of Longman at an affordable price. Had Labor's NBN been pushed through, a typical NBN bill in Longman would be an extra $43. That is over $500 a year that the people of Longman would have to pay for their internet connection if Labor's NBN had progressed.

The coalition's changes to the NBN on coming to power saved taxpayers around $30 billion, enabling them to avoid the $43 increase in monthly internet bills that Labor's program would have had. What's more, because we changed it and made it more affordable and it could get to households quicker, Australians can connect some six to eight years earlier than would have been the case under Labor's NBN.

I know the people of Longman are very much aware of the cost-of-living issues and are very much aware that Labor's proposals in the tax field are all about increasing taxes. They know that the state Labor government in Queensland, in their recent budget, increased or introduced five new taxes. And so, as I said, part of the political lexicon of Australia at the moment is, 'Labor increases taxes, Labor taxes more and Labor lies.'

These cheaper prices—the $500 a month that the good citizens of Longman will save—are a real benefit if they're concerned about the cost of living, if they're concerned about Labor's proposals for increasing taxes and if they're concerned about, and have to pay, the Queensland Labor government's tax hike in the recent budget. Just like Labor's energy policy led to higher electricity bills, Labor's NBN policy would have led to higher internet bills. That's why, I guess, everybody in Longman knows that Bill Shorten, with his increases in taxes for energy and the NBN, is one 'Bill' the people of Longman cannot afford.

Labor was promoting a gold-plated NBN, with 1,000 megabits of broadband speed, but, unfortunately for Labor, less than 0.1 per cent of users are buying these top speeds, and less than 20 per cent of users are buying even 100 megabit speeds. So Labor's program—as always, looking after the big end of town, the big unions and big business—was all about that 0.1 per cent of users who wanted those top speeds. The other citizens of Longman are happy with the speeds they're getting, and they're very happy with the fact that they will save $500 a year over what they would have paid had Labor's NBN gone through.

Photo of Sue LinesSue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Macdonald. I just remind you to refer to those in the other place by their correct titles.

3:32 pm

Photo of Catryna BilykCatryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

When Senator Martin was mayor of Devonport, he described Mr Turnbull's fibre-to-the-node network as like 'driving a Mercedes-Benz to the node and jumping on a penny-farthing'. I don't agree with Senator Martin on quite a lot of things, but I have to say that he was spot-on when it came to his description of the Turnbull government's copper based network. I see Senator Cormann over there, smiling, because he knows that Senator Martin and I don't agree on most things. But, on this issue, I can say that I think he was spot-on! I'm always happy to acknowledge when I think that other people are correct.

One of a number of reasons why I don't agree with Senator Martin is that the Turnbull government's copper based network is a network that is substantially realised on last century's technology. It's a network which has cost $4 billion more to build than Labor's and has reduced NBN Co revenue by $500 million a year. It's a network on which more than 40 per cent of customers have experienced disconnections, dropouts and other performance issues, and it's a network with which more than 40 per cent of businesses surveyed are dissatisfied—40 per cent of businesses surveyed are dissatisfied! It's a network which leaves Australia's average broadband speeds behind those of places such as Estonia, Bulgaria and Kenya. It's a network which The University of Melbourne technology expert Mr Rob Tucker says will be obsolete by the time it's built. Yet this government has no plans to upgrade its second-rate network for at least the next 22 years. That's 22 years during which other countries will leave Australia's digital competitiveness for dead. By rolling out this second-rate network, those opposite have sabotaged Australia's economy simply to make a political point.

Voters in the electorate of Braddon have been told by the Minister for Communications that the second-rate broadband brought to the north-west coast of Tasmania was the 'signature achievement' of the Liberal candidate for Braddon, Brett Whiteley—the one who lost his seat at the previous election and who has previously lost a state seat as well; so not once did he lose a seat but twice. Let me tell you: you can keep telling people that, because the people of Braddon realise that it's a dilapidated broadband network that's subject to slow speeds, faults and dropouts. Just ask the people on the west coast. Do you think they feel grateful for that? I'm pretty sure they don't. If this was Brett Whiteley's signature achievement, then the rest of his achievements as the member for Braddon were very, very ordinary.

The government couldn't even ensure that Mr Whiteley's promise was delivered on time. They promised that the fibre-to-the-network rollout to Tasmania's west coast would be completed at the end of the year, and yet the rollout will be just starting by the end of this year. I'm sure it's pretty clear to the west coast residents who are in the seat of Braddon, which Mr Whiteley's running for, that his so-called 'signature achievement' didn't happen because of anything he pushed for. It happened because Mr Whiteley and his Liberal government were dragged kicking and screaming to deliver a fixed-line connection. It was a backflip of absolutely epic proportions, and was brought on by Labor's announcement of a fibre-to-the-premises rollout for the west coast.

The people of Braddon know that Labor's Justine Keay is the only candidate who will truly stand up for their needs, who will give the workers in Braddon earning less than $125,000 a year a bigger, better and fairer tax cut, and who will look after the people of Braddon no matter what the area, whether it's the NBN, health or education. No matter what the area, Justine Keay will work for the people of Braddon, as she has been doing previously. It's no accident that Mr Whiteley, as one of the 'three amigos', lost his seat last time around. It's because he didn't respect the people of Braddon. He didn't care about the people of Braddon. (Time expired)

Question agreed to.