Media Release

Lazy Turnbull continues to deceive on the NBN

Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today accused Malcolm Turnbull of again deceiving the Australian public about the National Broadband Network.

"Mr Turnbull is misrepresenting the facts when he criticises the rollout of the NBN to new housing estates," Senator Conroy said. "Mr Turnbull has assumed that all new homes completed in the past eighteen months in estates of over 100 lots were NBN Co's responsibility.

"This is incorrect. The agreement reached with Telstra states that if Stage 5 planning approval had been received prior to 1 January 2011 these homes remained the responsibility of Telstra.

"As outlined in the 2012-2015 Corporate Plan, since 1 January 2011 NBN Co has received development applications for approximately 132,000 new housing lots. These applications span across the next eight years to 2020.

"NBN Co has fibre construction commenced or completed for 29,000 lots in new housing estates already, and has passed more than 15,000 of these. This includes lots where homes have yet to be built.

"The Universal Service Obligation requires that people in homes without fixed line telecommunications services have access to a mobile phone charged at landline rates.

"This is the exact same system as was used when Telstra was the telecommunications provider of last resort. "Mr Turnbull's lack of broadband policy means he will grasp at anything to attack the National Broadband Network.

"Of more concern, Mr Turnbull extends his criticism to the hard-working and dedicated employees of NBN Co. This is both unfair and uncalled for.

"NBN Co is rolling out Australia's largest ever infrastructure project, which will provide fast, affordable, and reliable broadband to all Australians."

Date: 14 September 2012
Contact: Adam Sims 0408 258 457