p>People in Ballarat and region on the cusp of receiving fast broadband through the Government NBN network were warned today it is becoming clearer that a Coalition Government will ditch it.
Federal Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, said a Dissenting Report of the Joint Committee on the NBN confirmed the worst fears about the Coalition’s intentions.
“We have come so far with the NBN in this region. We are at the forefront of the roll out. A growing number of people are already using it and many thousands more will gain access in coming months,” Ms King said.
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People in Ballarat and region on the cusp of receiving fast broadband through the Government NBN network were warned today it is becoming clearer that a Coalition Government will ditch it.
Federal Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, said a Dissenting Report of the Joint Committee on the NBN confirmed the worst fears about the Coalition’s intentions.
“We have come so far with the NBN in this region. We are at the forefront of the roll out. A growing number of people are already using it and many thousands more will gain access in coming months,” Ms King said.
“What a setback it will be to the whole region if some future Coalition Government rips it away as it is clearly indicating it will if it wins office.”
Today the Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, said the Dissenting Report confirmed the Coalition’s intentions if elected.
“The report states that NBN Co and its board should be clearly mindful ‘of the need to alter contracts’ in the event of a change in Government,” Senator Conroy said.
“This clearly demonstrates that the Coalition plans to demolish the NBN if it is elected.
“It follows Mr Abbott’s recent pledge to not spend one cent upgrading Australia’s broadband infrastructure.
“Mr Abbott told the Committee for Economic Development in Australia (CEDA) that: ‘If we don’t go ahead with the National Broadband Network in its current form, that’s about $50 billion less that the Commonwealth will need to borrow’.
“Mr Turnbull has also stated that NBN Co should not be entering into any further contracts.
“This proves that the Coalition won’t build the NBN, they will demolish it.”
Ms King and Mr Conroy only last week attended the switch on in Bacchus Marsh of the NBN.
Work is continuing in Ballarat on the roll-out of NBN fibre optic and services are already in place around Ballarat using the fixed-wireless element of the roll out.
“Residents of this region eagerly awaiting access to the faster broadband should be aware that only the Labor Government will build the NBN and bring it to completion,” Ms King said.
“Only Labor has a plan to deliver fast, affordable, universal broadband to every home and business in Australia and is already in the process of doing so right here in our region.”