Media Release

Julie Collins MP
Federal Member for Franklin

Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity

NBN satellite ground station for Tasmania

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, and the Federal Member for Franklin, Julie Collins, today announced that Geeveston in southern Tasmania will be one of ten towns across Australia that will host a National Broadband Network (NBN) satellite ground station.

The Geeveston ground station will be operational in 2015 and contribute to providing between 15,000 and 20,000 Australian homes and businesses with fast broadband speeds of up to 12 megabits per second.

"This ground station will be a boost to the local economy and act as an essential satellite gateway, helping deliver fast, affordable, and reliable broadband to rural and remote communities across Australia," Senator Conroy said.

"For too long, people living in rural and regional Australia have had to live with second class telecommunications infrastructure, but through the Gillard Government's investment in the NBN all Australians will have access to fast, reliable and affordable broadband – either through fibre to the home, fixed wireless, or satellite services.

"Like water and electricity, the Gillard Government sees fast broadband as an essential utility that should be made available to all Australians, no matter where they live," Senator Conroy said.

Federal Member for Franklin Julie Collins said: "The construction of the Geeveston ground station will help create around 30 direct jobs for the local region, with building set to begin early next year.

"Tasmania is already benefiting from the NBN's fast and reliable broadband – with almost 13,000 homes and businesses able to connect through fibre.

"Another 32,000 premises will have access to fixed wireless services in the second half of next year, as Tasmania stays well on track to be the first state to be fully connected by 2015.

"The Government is also delivering uniform national wholesale pricing, which means Tasmanians in towns like Geeveston will pay the same prices for NBN services as people in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

"The NBN will deliver tremendous economic and social benefits to rural and regional communities by reducing the need for people in towns like Geeveston, Port Huon, Dover and Cygnet to travel to get specialist services," Ms Collins said.

The Geeveston satellite ground station is the third ground station announced, joining Bourke and Merimbula in New South Wales.

Date: 29 June 2012
Contact: Senator Conroy's Office - Adam Sims 0408 258 457.
Julie Collins' Office – Joe Scavo 0409 679 924