Media Release

Coalition has no plan for fibre in regional Australia

The Coalition should stop misleading the Australian people about the National Broadband Network and come clean on their own broadband plans, Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy said today.
 
"Since the Government's press release of April 2009, an Implementation Study by McKinsey and KPMG recommended that it was cost effective to increase the coverage of NBN fibre from 90 per cent to 93 per cent of Australia. 
 
"This means that under the Gillard Government, NBN fibre will reach 70 per cent of homes and businesses in regional Australia. This includes towns with less than 1000 premises where they are on the NBN transit network, such as Inglewood in Queensland, Brookton in Western Australia, and Trentham in Victoria.
 
"The Government announced that it would adopt this target on 20 December 2010 and released a list of towns that would receive fibre. 
 
"In the intervening eighteen months, the Coalition has sat on their hands and developed no broadband plan.
 
"The one thing we do know is that a Coalition Government won't connect any homes or businesses in regional Australia to fibre - not to towns with 1000 people and not to towns with 1000 premises.
 
"The Gillard Government's NBN will give people in regional, rural and remote Australia access to better broadband than many people in metropolitan areas receive today.
 
"The Coalition should explain how they plan to provide broadband to the towns that will get fibre through the NBN.
 
"The Gillard Government's plans for the NBN are clear. It is time the Coalition came clean with theirs." 

Date:  25 July 2012
Contact: Adam Sims 0408 258 457.

Cities and towns that will receive NBN optical fibre:

NSW and ACT: Aberdeen; Adelong; Agnes Banks; Albury; Alstonville; Anna Bay; Appin; Armidale; Arrawarra; Avondale; Awaba; Ballina; Balranald; Bangalow; Bargo; Basin View; Batemans Bay; Bathurst; Batlow; Bawley Point; Beauty Point; Beechwood; Beelbangera; Bega; Bellingen; Bermagui; Berrara; Berridale; Berrima; Berry; Bilbul; Bingara; Blackheath; Blayney; Boambee; Boat Harbour; Bodalla; Boggabri; Bombala; Bonnells Bay; Bonny Hills; Bonville; Boorowa; Bourke; Bowen Mountain; Bowral; Bowraville; Braidwood; Brandy Hill; Branxton-Greta; Brightwaters; Broadwater; Broken Hill; Brooklyn; Brunswick Heads; Bulahdelah; Bundanoon; Bundeena; Bungendore; Burrill Lake; Burringbar; Buxton; Byron Bay; Callala Bay; Camden Haven; Camden West; Canberra-Queanbeyan; Canowindra; Casino; Central Coast;  Cessnock-Bellbird; Clarence Town; Clifton Grove; Clunes; Cobar; Cobbitty; Coffs Harbour; Colo Vale; Condobolin; Coolamon; Cooma; Coomba Park; Coonabarabran; Coonamble; Coopernook; Cooranbong; Cootamundra; Coraki; Corindi Beach; Corlette; Couridjah; Cowan; Cowra; Crescent Head; Crookwell; Culburra-Orient Point; Culcairn; Cunjurong; Currarong; Dalmeny; Dangar Island; Darlington Point; Deniliquin; Denman; Diamond Beach; Dora Creek; Dorrigo; Douglas Park; Dubbo; Dungog; Dunoon; Durras; East Jindabyne; Eden; Ellalong ; Emerald Beach ; Emerald Beach West; Erowal Bay; Evans Head; Ewingsdale; Exeter; Fingal Bay; Finley; Fishermans Paradise; Forbes; Forest Hill; Forster-Tuncurry; Frederickton; Freemans Reach; Galston; Gerringong; Gerroa; Geurie; Gilgandra; Gladstone; Glen Innes; Glenorie; Glossodia; Gloucester; Goulburn; Grafton; Grasmere; Green Hill; Green Point; Greenwell Point; Grenfell; Greta East; Griffith; Gulgong; Gulmarrad; Gumly Gumly; Gundagai; Gunnedah; Guyra; Hall; Hallidays Point; Hanwood; Harrington; Hastings Point; Hawkesbury Heights; Hawks Nest; Hay; Heddon Greta; Helensburgh; Henty; Hill Top; Hillston; Hinton; Holbrook; Horsley Park; Huskisson; Hyland Park; Iluka; Inverell; Jamberoo; Jilliby; Jindabyne; Junee; Kalaru; Kandos; Karuah; Kempsey; Kendall; Kenthurst; Kiama; Killingworth; Kings Point; Kingswood; Kingsworth Estate; Kioloa; Kitchener; Kootingal; Kurmond; Kurrajong; Kurrajong Heights; Kurri Kurri-Weston; Kyogle; Lake Cargelligo; Lake Cathie; Lake Conjola; Lake Conjola West; Lake Tabourie; Lakewood Estate; Lansdowne; Leeton; Lemon Tree Passage; Lennox Head; Lightning Ridge; Lismore; Lithgow; Lochinvar; Londonderry; Long Beach; Luddenham; Macksville; Maclean; Macmasters Beach; Maianbar; Maitland; Malua Bay; Manilla; Manning Point; Marsden Park; Marulan; Medlow Bath; Medowie; Menangle; Menangle Park; Merimbula; Millfield; Milton; Mirrabooka; Mittagong; Modanville; Mogo; Molong; Moonee Beach; Moonee Beach West; Mooney Mooney; Moree; Morisset; Moruya; Moruya Heads; Moss Vale; Mossy Point-Broulee; Mount Hunter; Mount Victoria; Mudgee; Mulgoa; Mullumbimby; Murrumbateman; Murrumburrah; Murrurundi; Murwillumbah; Muswellbrook; Mylestom; Nabiac; Nambucca Heads; Narooma; Narrabri; Narrandera; Narromine; Neath; Nelligen; Nelson Bay; Nemingha; Newcastle; Nords Wharf; North Arm Cove; North Bonville; Nowra-Bomaderry; Nunderi; Nyngan; Oakdale; Oberon; Ocean Shores; Old Bar; Old Erowal Bay; Orange; Orchard Hills; Otford; Pacific Palms; -Blueys Beach; Pambula; Pambula Beach; Parkes; Patonga; Paxton; Peak Hill; Perthville; Picton; Pindimar; Pitt Town; Port Macquarie; Portland; Pottsville; Queanbeyan; Quirindi; Rainbow Flat; Raymond Terrace; Repton; Richmond North; Richmond-Windsor; Robertson; Rothbury North; Rylstone; Safety Beach; Salamander Bay; -Soldiers Point; Salt Ash; San Isidore; Sandy Beach; Sawtell; Scone; Scotts Head; Seaham; Shoalhaven Heads; Silverwater; Singleton; Smiths Lake; South Golden Beach; South West Rocks; St Georges Basin; -Sanctuary Point; Stanwell Park; Stanwell Tops; Stuarts Point; Suffolk Park; Sunshine; Sussex Inlet; Sydney; Tahmoor; Tallwoods Village; Tamworth; Tapitallee; Taree; Tarraganda; Tathra; Tea Gardens; Temora; Tenterfield; The Oaks; The Rock; Thirlmere; Tinonee; Tomakin; Tomerong; Trangie; Tumbarumba; Tumbulgum; Tumut; Tura Beach; Tuross Heads; Tweed Heads; Ulladulla; Ulmarra; Uralla; Uranquinty; Urunga; Valla Beach; Vineyard; Wagga Wagga; Walcha; Walgett; Wallabi Point; Wallacia; Wallalong; Wallerawang; Wangi-Rathmines; Wardell; Warialda; Warragamba-Silverdale; Warren; Waterfall; Waterview Heights; Wauchope; Wee Waa; Wellington; Werris Creek; West Wyalong; Wilberforce; Wilton; Windella Downs; Windermere Park; Wingham; Wollongbar; Wollongong; Wongarbon; Woodburn; Woolgoolga; Wooloweyah; Woombah; Wooroowoolgan; Wyee; Wyee Point; Yamba; Yanco; Yanderra; Yarramundi; Yarrawonga Park; Yass; Yellow Rock; Yenda; Yerrinbool; Young.

Queensland and Northern Territory: Alice Springs; Darwin; Howard Springs; Humpty Doo; -McMinns Lagoon; Katherine; Nhulunbuy; Palmerston; Robertson Barracks; Tennant Creek; Tindal; Virginia-Bees Creek; Agnes Water; Airlie Beach; Aldershot; Alice River; Alligator Creek; Allingham; Allora; Amity Point; Apple Tree Creek; Arcadia Bay; Armstrong Beach; Atherton; Ayr; Babinda; Bakers Creek; Balgal Beach; Ball Bay; Barcaldine; Bargara; Beachmere; Beaudesert; Beerburrum; Beerwah; Benaraby; Biloela; Bingil Bay; Blackall; Blackbutt; Blackwater; Blue Mountain Heights; Boggabilla; Bohle Plains; Bongaree; Boonah; Booral; Bouldercombe; Bowen; Boyne Island; Brandon; Brisbane; Bundaberg; Burnett Heads; Burrum Heads; Bushland Beach; Cabbage Tree Point; Cairns; Cairns Nth Beaches; Calliope; Cambooya; Campwin Beach; Cannonvale; Canungra; Capella; Cardwell; Charleville; Charters Towers; Childers; Chinchilla; Clermont; Clifton; Cloncurry; Collinsville; Cooktown; Cooloola Village; Coominya; Cooran; Cooroy; Cooya Beach; Coral Cove; Cordalba; Craiglie; Crows Nest; Curra; D'Aguilar; Dalby; Dayboro; Deeragun; Donnybrook; Dunwich; Dysart; Eagle Heights; El Arish; Elliott Heads; Emerald; Emu Park; Esk; Eumundi; Farleigh; Fernvale; Flying Fish Point; Forest Hill; Gatton; Gayndah; Gladstone; Glass House Mtns; Glenden; Glenwood; Godwin Beach; Gold Coast; Goomeri; Goondiwindi; Gordonvale; Gowrie Junction; Gracemere; Grantham; Grasstree Beach; Gympie; Gympie South; Half Tide Beach; Haliday Bay; Halifax; Helidon; Herberton; Hervey Bay; Highfields; Home Hill; Horseshoe Bay; Howard; Hughenden; Ingham; Inglewood; Innes Park; Innisfail; Jacobs Well; Jimboomba; Johnstone South; Kairi; Kalamia Estate; Kilcoy; Kingaroy; Kingsthorpe; Kinka Beach; Kooralbyn; Kuranda; Kurrimine; Laidley; Landsborough; Longreach; Lowood; Mackay; Macknade; Malanda; Maleny; Mapleton; Marburg; Mareeba; Marian; Maryborough; Merinda; Meringandan; Middlemount; Miles; Millmerran; Minden Village; Mirani; Mission Beach; Mission Beach South; Monto; Mooloolah; Moore Park; Moranbah; Mossman; Mount Cotton; Mount Isa; Mount Julian; Mount Morgan; Mount Tamborine; Moura; Mourilyan; Mundubbera; Mungindi; Murgon; Nambour; Nanango; Nelly Bay; Newell; Nindaroo; Ningi; Oakey; Oakhurst; Pacific Haven; Pallarenda; Palmwoods; Picnic Bay; Pittsworth; Point Lookout; Pomona; Port Douglas; Proserpine; Rainbow Beach; Ravenshoe; River Heads; Rockhampton; Roma; Rosewood; Rubyvale; Russell; -Macleay Islands; Samford; Sandstone Point; Sapphire; Sarina; Sarina Beach; Saunders Beach; Seaforth; Seventeen Seventy; Shutehaven; Silkwood; Sloping Hummock; Smithfield; St George; Stanthorpe; Sunshine Acres; Sunshine Coast; Tamborine North; Tannum Sands; Taylors Beach; The Palms; Tieri; Tin Can Bay; Tinaroo; Tolga; Toogoolawah; Toogoom; Toorbul; Toowoomba; Torbanlea; Townsville-Thuringowa; Tully; Walkerston; Wamuran; Wangan; Warwick; Weipa; Willowbank; Winton; Withcott; Wondai; Wonga Beach; Wongaling Beach; Woodford; Woodgate; Woombye; Woorim; Wyreema; Yandina; Yarraman; Yeppoon; Yungaburra.

South Australia: Adelaide; Angaston; Angle Vale; Ardrossan; Auburn; Balaklava; Balhannah; Barmera; Berri; Birdwood; Bordertown; Burra; Carrickalinga; Ceduna; Clare; Clarendon; Cleve; Coober Pedy; Cowell; Crafers-Bridgewater; Crystal Brook; Eudunda; Fishermans Bay; Freeling; Gawler; Goolwa; Greenock; Gumeracha; Hahndorf; Hindmarsh Island; Jamestown; Kadina; Kapunda; Keith; Kersbrook; Kimba; Kingscote; Kingston S.E.; Lobethal; Loxton; Lyndoch; Macclesfield; Maitland; Mannum; McLaren Vale; Meadows; Meningie; Middleton; Millicent; Minlaton; Moonta; Mount Barker; Mount Gambier; Mount Torrens; Murray Bridge; Nairne; Naracoorte; Normanville; Nuriootpa; Oakbank; One Tree Hill; Paringa; Penola; Peterborough; Port Augusta; Port Broughton; Port Elliot; Port Lincoln; Port Pirie; Port Vincent; Quorn; Renmark; Riverton; Robe; Roseworthy; Roxby Downs; Saddleworth; Sellicks Beach; Silver Sands; Stansbury; Strathalbyn; Summertown; Tailem Bend; Tanunda; Tumby Bay; Two Wells; Uraidla; Victor Harbor; Waikerie; Wallaroo; Whyalla; Williamstown; Willunga; Woodside; Woomera; Yankalilla; Yorketown.

Tasmania: Acton Park; Bagdad; Beaconsfield; Beauty Point; Bicheno; Binalong Bay; Bridgewater; -Gagebrook; Bridport; Burnie-Somerset; Cambridge; Campbell Town; Cremorne; Cygnet; Deloraine; Devonport; Dodges Ferry; Evandale; Exeter; Fern Tree; Forth; Franklin; Gawler; Geeveston; George Town; Gravelly Beach; Grindelwald; Hadspen; Heybridge; Hobart; Howden; Huonville-Ranelagh; Kingston-Blackmans Bay; Lanena-Blackwall; Latrobe; Lauderdale; Launceston; Legana; Lewisham; Longford; Low Head; Margate; New Norfolk; Old Beach; Opossum Bay; Orford; Otago; Penguin; Perth; Pontville; Port Sorell; Primrose Sands; Queenstown; Railton; Richmond; Rosebery; Rosevears; Scamander; Scottsdale; Seven Mile Beach; Sheffield; Smithton; Snug; Sorell-Midway Point; South Arm; St Helens-Stieglitz; St Marys; Sulphur Creek; Swansea; Triabunna; Tullah; Turners Beach; Ulverstone; Westbury; Wynyard; Zeehan.

Victoria: Aireys Inlet-Fairhaven; Alexandra; Allansford; Anglesea; Apollo Bay-Marengo; Ararat; Arcadia Downs; Bacchus Marsh; Bairnsdale; Ballan; Ballarat; Bannockburn; Baranduda; Barham-Koondrook; Barham-Koondrook; Barooga; Batesford; Beaconsfield Upper; Beaufort; Beechworth; Benalla; Bendigo; Blind Bight; Boolarra; Bright; Broadford; Bunyip; Buronga; Cabarita; Campbells Creek; Camperdown; Cannons Creek; Cape Paterson; Carisbrook; Casterton; Castlemaine; Chewton; Chiltern; Churchill; Clunes; Cobden; Cobram; Cockatoo; Cohuna; Colac; Coleraine; Corinella; Coronet Bay; Corowa-Wahgunyah; Corowa-Wahgunyah; Corryong; Cowes; Cranbourne South; Creswick; Darnum; Daylesford; Diggers Rest; Dimboola; Don Valley; Donald; Drouin; Drysdale; -Clifton Springs; Dunolly; Eagle Point; Echuca-Moama; Echuca-Moama; Eildon; Elmore; Emerald; Euroa; Euston; Flinders; Foster; Garfield; Geelong; Gembrook; Gisborne; Glengarry; Gol Gol; Grantville; Hamilton; Healesville; Heathcote; Heyfield; Heywood; Horsham; Howlong; Indented Head; Inverloch; Kerang; Kilmore; Kinglake; Kinglake West; -Pheasant Creek; Koo-Wee-Rup; Koroit; Korumburra; Kyabram; Kyneton; Lake Boga; Lake Tyers Beach; Lakes Entrance; Lancefield; Lang Lang; Lara; Launching Place; Laurimar; Leongatha; Leopold; Lethbridge; Loch Sport; Longwarry; Lorne; Macedon; Maffra; Maldon; Mallacoota; Malmsbury; Mansfield; Maryborough; Melbourne; Melton; Menzies Creek; Merbein; Mernda; Metung; Mildura; Millgrove; Mirboo North; Moe-Yallourn; Mortlake; Morwell; Mount Beauty; Mount Macedon; Myrniong; Myrtleford; Nagambie; Nar-Nar-Goon; Nathalia; Newhaven; Newlands Arm; Nhill; Nilma; Numurkah; Ocean Grove; -Barwon Heads; Officer; Orbost; Pakenham; Panton Hill; Paynesville; Pearcedale; Pioneer Bay; Porepunkah; Port Fairy; Portarlington; Portland; Queenscliff; Red Cliffs; Red Hill South; Rhyll; Riddells Creek; Robinvale; Rochester; Rockbank; Romsey; Rosedale; Rushworth; Rutherglen; Sale; San Remo; Seville East; Seymour; Shepparton East; Shepparton-Mooroopna; Shoreham; Smiths Beach; St Arnaud; St Leonards; Stawell; Stratford; Sunbury; Sunset Strip; Surf Beach-Sunderland Bay; Swan Hill; Tallangatta; Tatura; Teesdale; Terang; Timboon; Tocumwal; Tongala; Toora; Tooradin; Torquay; Trafalgar; Traralgon; Trentham; Tynong; Venus Bay; Wallan; Wandiligong; Wandong; -Heathcote Junction; Wangaratta; Warburton; Warburton East; Warneet; Warracknabeal; Warragul; Warrnambool; Wedderburn; Wentworth; Werribee South; Wesburn; Whittlesea; Wimbledon Heights; Winchelsea; Wodonga; Wonthaggi; Woodend; Woori Yallock; Yallourn North; Yarra Glen; Yarra Junction; Yarragon; Yarram; Yarrawonga-Mulwala; Yea; Yinnar.

Western Australia: Albany; Allanson; Augusta; Bakers Hill; Baldivis; Beverley; Binningup; Bridgetown; Brookton; Broome; Brunswick Junction; Bunbury; Busselton; Byford; Capel; Carnarvon; Cervantes; Chidlow; Collie; Cookernup; Coolgardie; Cunderdin; Dampier; Denham; Denmark; Derby; Dongara; Donnybrook; Drummond Cove; Dunsborough; East Bullsbrook; Ellenbrook; Esperance; Exmouth; Frenchman Bay; Geraldton; Gnarabup; Gnowangerup; Green Head; Harvey; Herne Hill; Hopetoun; Hovea; Jarrahdale; Jurien; Kalbarri; Kalgoorlie-Boulder; Kambalda West; Karratha; Katanning; Kellerberrin; Kojonup; Kununurra; Kwinana; Lancelin; Leeman; Little Grove; Lower Chittering Valley; Mahogany Creek; Mandurah; Manjimup; Margaret River; Merredin; Moora; Mount Barker; Mount Helena; Muchea; Mundaring; Mundijong; Nannup; Narrogin; Norseman; Northam; Northampton; Paraburdoo; Parkerville; Pemberton; Perth; Pingelly; Pinjarra; Port Hedland; Rockingham; Roebourne; Sawyers Valley; Serpentine; Southern Cross; Sovereign Hill; Stoneville; The Vines; Tom Price; Toodyay; Tuart Rise; Two Rocks; Wagin; Waroona; Wickham; Wongan Hills; Woodridge Estate; Wundowie; Yanchep; Yarloop; York.