Media Release

Member for Gippsland needs to come clean on Opposition NBN policy

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has called on the Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester to come clean to all Gippslanders about the Opposition’s plan for broadband.

“Mr Chester continues the pretence of wanting high speed broadband for rural and regional areas, yet the Coalition policy is to provide wireless broadband to all those in the bush,” Senator Conroy said.

“The hypocrisy of the Coalition is astounding, when you consider the NBN is rolling out fibre to 93% of Australian premises, including over 70% of rural and regional Australian premises, with the remainder to be served by next generation fixed wireless and satellite technologies.

“Let me remind everyone it was the National Party that sold out the bush when they supported the privatisation of Telstra, which has led to some of the service and pricing problems we are now dealing with,” Senator Conroy said.

In establishing the NBN Co, the government made a policy commitment of price parity between the city and the country via the introduction of the Uniform Wholesale Pricing mechanism that would see the same cost charged regardless of where you lived.

“The Gillard government has unashamedly built in a cross subsidy to the pricing of the NBN that allows families in towns like Traralgon, Morwell and Bairnsdale to pay the same as people in Brighton, Malvern and Toorak.

“Mr Chester can try to run but he cannot hide from the fact that current Opposition policy is to abolish the cross subsidy, and treat everyone in the bush like second class citizens by handing out vouchers instead. 

“Under Mr Chester, families in the bush will pay more for broadband, but end up with a lesser service, in comparison with what we are rolling out with the NBN.

“Instead of attacking the NBN rollout, Mr Chester should get behind it.”

Date:  23 January 2012
Contact: Philip Dalidakis 0406 202 343