11 June 2016
E&EO.
MITCH FIFIELD:
The major towns on the West Coast of the state made it clear through Brett Whiteley that they wanted the nbn delivered by fibre rather than satellite. Brett Whiteley worked hard with nbn, the Federal Government, State Government and Local Government to deliver a solution.
So I can announce that the Federal and Tasmanian Governments will commit $18.5 million to ensure that there will be Fibre-to-the-Node for Rosebery, Zeehan and Queenstown and fixed wireless for the town of Strahan.
So this is good news for those communities. It’s what they asked for, and our plan unlike Labor’s proposition, is fully funded and fully costed and will see the people in the major centres on the West Coast with the services that they want.
JOURNALIST:
Why have you waited until now to announce it?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well it’s important to work these things through carefully and methodically. It was a decision of nbn that operates at arm’s length from government to look at satellite for the West Coast. There is what’s known as the technology choice option which allows communities to indicate if they want something different and for nbn to cost that.
So Brett Whiteley has worked hard with the Federal Government and with the State Government to come forward with a practical solution. Unlike the Labor Party’s proposition this is fully funded, fully costed. The Labor Party also forgot the town of Strahan and Labor have not indicated what is the technology that they’re looking to deliver in those communities. So ours is practical and will be delivered. Labor’s is a fantasy.
JOURNALIST:
Is there a timeline on when it would be delivered?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well planning work in detail will start straight after the federal election and by the middle of next year the construction teams that are currently working in the North will move across into the West Coast.
JOURNALIST:
Great, thank you, that’s everything.
[ends]