E&EO……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
KAREN HOWARD:
This government is rolling out the NBN on time, and on budget. It is my great pleasure today to welcome Senator the Honourable Mitch Fifield, Minister for Communications, to the gorgeous electorate of Paterson, right on the waterfront here at Nelson Bay. I’ll now handover to the Minister.
MITCH FIFIELD:
Thanks, well it’s great to be here with Karen Howard at Nelson Bay, one of the most beautiful places in Australia. We had the opportunity earlier to talk to some businesses about our plan for jobs and growth. And one of the important underpinnings of the transition to a new, stronger economy is good telecommunications.
And under the approach that the Coalition Government is taking, the good news is that the NBN will be rolled out six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under or predecessors, and at $30 billion less cost.
Great news today here, in Nelson Bay, the first 3,000 residents, premises, businesses will be able to start connecting to the NBN. Progressively, between now and the end of the year, 16,000 premises in Nelson Bay will be able to connect and a further 14,000 in the Maitland area. So this is terrific news as a result of the approach the Coalition is taking.
Whereas when we came into office in 2013, there was virtually no one in the electorate of Paterson connected to the NBN. There’s now about 15,000 premises who can access the NBN, another 30,000 that are under construction. And by September 2018, it’ll be 61,000 premises that will be able to connect to the NBN. So this is a great story.
And the story of NBN as Karen has said is that it is on time and on budget. The NBN has met every one of its milestones over the last eight quarters and is on track to be available to 2.6 million Australian premises nationwide this financial year. And NBN has signed up its one-millionth paying customer. The story of NBN is a good one nationwide and particularly good news here in the electorate of Paterson.
QUESTION:
This is part of the scheduled rollout though; it’s not being expedited, is it?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well this is part of the scheduled rollout, but the rollout of the NBN nationwide is occurring six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under the Labor Party and at $30 billion less cost. So the NBN will be completed around Australia by 2020. Australians would have been waiting another six to eight years if we had continued the approach of the Labor Party.
QUESTION:
There were some NBN works happening on the way into Nelson Bay as well, so obviously people can connect to now – but there’s still more work happening?
MITCH FIFIELD:
That’s right, there are 3,000 premises who can phone up a retail service provider, and order their NBN connection today in the eastern part of Nelson Bay. Progressively, between now and the end of the year, there’ll be a total of 16,000 premises in Nelson Bay that’ll be able to connect, and another 14,000 in the Maitland area, by the end of the year. So there’s still work underway, but the good news is in this neck-of-the-woods, people can phone up now and order a service.
QUESTION:
I think it’s fair to say there is a level of dissatisfaction with the service so far in some parts of the Hunter, people are reporting going weeks without internet connection, landlines and so on, and getting slower than expected download speeds. What offer could you give to the people of Port Stephens that they will be receiving decent service?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Look, it’ll be good service, it’ll be up to 100 megabits per second. Through the Newcastle and broader Hunter Region, about 108,000 premises can connect to the NBN and about 36,000 people have taken up that opportunity. That’s one of the highest rates in Australia. There can be some teething problems with retail service providers. It’s important to recognise the interface people have is with a retail service provider. And look there have been some issues but those have been worked through.
QUESTION:
There’s problems with more than the retail service provider, NBN Co. actually delivered an apology to customers in this area for the disconnection, the prolonged disconnections, of which there have been many. What lessons has the Government learnt from the fibre-to-the-node rollout in this area?
MITCH FIFIELD:
It’s important that there be good coordination between NBN and retail service providers. There have been some faults on both sides, but I think NBN have learnt some important lessons.
QUESTION:
As the Communications Minister, do you accept that the buck stops with you if there are issues with people getting the NBN, for instance people saying they can’t even get technicians to come to their houses and do the work required?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well as a government we want to make sure that the NBN is a good experience for Australians. An important part of that is making sure it’s rolled out as fast as possible and at lowest cost to taxpayers. Which is exactly what we’re doing. But where there are teething problems initially we want to know about those, so we can take those up with NBN.
QUESTION:
Well we’ve had people waiting two or three months for connection, between getting their ADSL cut-off and then the NBN put on surely that’s not acceptable; what’s the Government doing to make sure that doesn’t happen in other areas?
MITCH FIFIELD:
I talk with NBN on a weekly basis to raise with them issues that have come through to me, about difficulties there have been in the field. And NBN is very seized of the importance of making sure that customers have a good experience.
QUESTION:
What are they doing about that though?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well NBN is learning through their experience on the ground, as are retail service providers.
QUESTION:
Is the government going to persist with the fibre-to-the-node technology, given that the feedback hasn’t been great, certainly in this area? You know, there’s been a lot of problems with it, and it seems an inferior service to fibre-to-the-premises, which is also being rolled out here.
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well because of the approach NBN is taking under this government, pursuing the multi-technology mix, it means we can roll the NBN out much faster than would have been the case. Because we’re using fibre-to-the-node in the place of fibre-to-the-premise, it means that the construction costs, the connection costs per premise, are about half what they would have been. It also means NBN doesn’t have to dig-up the driveways of, literally hundreds of thousands of premises nationwide. So through that approach there’s less disruption for individual households, people will get the NBN sooner and at less cost.
QUESTION:
Is it the best plan for the country’s future? Is that the best long-term solution?
MITCH FIFIELD:
I think the approach we’re taking is the right one. Getting the NBN rolled out by 2020, getting the NBN rolled out six to eight years sooner than would’ve otherwise been the case, getting it rolled out at $30 billion less cost I think that’s a good approach. That’s the right approach. And once people are hooked up to fibre to the node, once people are hooked up via fixed wireless, they’re having a good experience.
QUESTION:
But are you concerned there has been bad customer experience? I mean certainly we’ve had a lot of reports here and I know other media outlets have to, you said before you know, you want people to have a good experience, are you concerned that hasn’t been the case in some parts of the Hunter?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Obviously you would love to have a seamless process, a seamless experience for all consumers. NBN is learning as it goes. Retail service providers are learning as they go. And they’re putting lessons into practice. But I’m confident that fibre-to-the-node will be a good experience for Australians.
QUESTION:
How’s the rollout going for the rest of the Hunter, is that on time, on schedule as well?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Yes, nationwide the rollout is on track. In the broader Newcastle/Hunter Valley Region, there’s in excess of 100,000 premises that can access the NBN. And there’s about 36,000 people who’ve elected to do so. So when it comes to the NBN and coverage: the Hunter/Newcastle area has a good experience.
QUESTION:
Port Stephens and Nelsons Bay is notorious as a mobile phone and television reception black spot. Can you offer anything further to people living in those areas living on those fronts?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well there’s good news. Our predecessors over six years didn’t spend a dollar on mobile black spots. As a result of that, we put in place a $100 million Mobile Black Spot Programme, which we used to leverage contributions from Telcos and also from State Governments. That saw that hundred million dollars translate into $385 million, 499 mobile base stations nationwide, addressing 3000 of the 6000 community-nominated mobile black spots. But we knew we had to do more, so we announced $60 million for a second round of the Mobile Black Spot Programme, the results of that will be announced in the second half of that year. We still knew we had to do more, so the Prime Minister announced a week ago there would be a further $60 million put on the table for mobile black spots. So there’s a stark choice there, between our predecessors who didn’t spend a dollar on mobile black spots and this Government which is putting on the table $220 million. What we haven’t heard from the Australian Labor Party is that they committed to rolling out the results of our first round of the Mobile Black Spot Programme. And we haven’t heard from them, that they’re committed to keeping the funding for the second-round of the Mobile Black Spot Programme.
QUESTION:
Well the second round hasn’t had any funding given to this area, as yet; could you confirm whether or not there will be money coming here as a result of those subsequent rounds?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well the second round results haven’t yet been announced, the assessment process is taking place, so I can’t tell you what the results will be. In the third round, some of those details are still being worked through. But watch this space.
QUESTION:
Did Ziggy Switkowski break election rules by writing that opinion piece on the NBN police raids?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well the caretaker provisions are a matter that is determined and put in place by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and I’ll leave caretaker conventions to him.
QUESTION:
Are you comfortable with Kerry Stokes and the Seven West Media Group potentially looking into holding a monopoly on tabloid papers in that state?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well, media ownership, there are existing rules in place that deal with issues of concentration, and any ownership changes obviously have to satisfy those.
QUESTION:
What about Christopher Pyne’s comments that the Xenophon Party could lead to chaos in Parliament? What kind of chaos is he referring to, and is this just a scare campaign?
MITCH FIFIELD:
No, not at all. I think Christopher Pyne is on the money. We saw the result of a hung parliament, when Julia Gillard was Prime Minister. It was a Parliament that didn’t really achieve much. It was a Parliament that was chaotic. And Australians I think will look to have a majority government. The best option in terms of stability would be to re-elect Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister with a strong majority.
QUESTION:
The local ABC in this area was affected by a round of ABC funding cuts, as you would be aware, and that resulted in the loss of some local content through redundancies, could you guarantee no further cuts to ABC funding?
MITCH FIFIELD:
In the budget we announced the ABC triennium funding, which saw the maintenance of the ABC’s base funding. We also announced that we were maintaining the ABC enhanced news service, which will fundamentally see that project continuing.
QUESTION:
What about funding for regional ABCs, is that something the Government can guarantee?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Well how the ABC allocates its funds is a matter for the ABC board and management.
QUESTION:
Karen this is the second ministerial visit in a week, what does that say about the Government’s approach to this seat? Especially given that today we’re reading some reports that they’re very concerned about losing up to six marginal seats in New South Wales.
KAREN HOWARD:
Well the seat I’m most interested in is the seat of Paterson, and the 110,000 voters in Paterson have my undivided attention from this moment until Election Day. I am very pleased to host ministers in our electorate, show them our beautiful electorate, introduce them to as many interested community groups as I possibly can.
QUESTION:
What are hearing from local people about the rollout of the NBN? I’m sure you’re hearing concerns as we all are, about the way it’s being handled, and about delays for people getting their internet connected.
KAREN HOWARD:
It’s been met with a high degree of anticipation, from families with kids that are either studying from home, families that are working from home, businesses that are working in commercial properties, are quite excited about the prospect of NBN. I’d have to say it’s not an issue that’s raised with me every day of the week in a negative sense.
QUESTION:
Is this version of the NBN the best one for Paterson and the Hunter?
KAREN HOWARD:
I do agree with Minister’s comments earlier; fibre-to-the-node is absolutely the best, quickest, and least expensive way of ensuring the majority of people that want to take it up, can connect to the NBN.
QUESTION:
Just a quick question about Williamtown, seeing that the first report came out yesterday, some of the Salt Ash residents you met with last week said that you had indicated, or the Minster had indicated, that there wouldn’t be any more funding announcements prior to the Election is that the case?
KAREN HOWARD:
Not quite sure what funding announcements you’re referring to, but I can cover off on the Williamtown matters now if you’d like me to. The recently released review into the New South Wales environmental protection authority, is a matter for the New South Wales Government. If I am elected, I will of course be taking up the community’s views on that review of the Government. However last week, as you’ve already mentioned, I was very happy to host the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, Julie Bishop, in the electorate of Paterson, and in fact hosted a meeting with some interested and concerned residents with Minister Bishop. She took on board their concerns, and the issues raised, and I know that she’s taking them back to her Cabinet colleagues.
QUESTION:
Greg Hunt has come out, I suppose overnight, saying that the Government’s committed to the clean-up, and you know, moving forward I suppose in that sense. Is that something you want to see happen on a federal level, considering it is a federal issue?
KAREN HOWARD:
As we all know, this is a very complex matter, it’s been a very long term matter that’s been in-play across several iterations of Federal Government. At this point in time, whilst investigations and review are being carried out, it would be improper for me to comment, however if elected, I will advocate very strongly for the impacted residents.
QUESTION:
There’s been, I suppose, some criticism that the Environment Minister, Federal Government hasn’t commented, or met with the concerned residents; what do say to that?
KAREN HOWARD:
It’s not my place to speak on behalf of Ministers. But I was very pleased to host the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, Julie Bishop, in the electorate of Paterson last week, and of course ensured that she met with impacted residents.
QUESTION:
I don’t know if wither of you can answer this, but do you know why the Government hasn’t moved to ratify that particular part of the Stockholm Convention, that would then see, sort of, triggers in place for investigation into high PFOS levels and PFOA levels?
MITCH FIFIELD:
I’ll defer to the Environment Minister on that one.
QUESTION:
Just one more question to you on communications, Minister, you mentioned before about there has been some trouble with internet service providers. Do you see a case for higher level of, I guess, oversight of internet service providers; I mean we’ve cases here where they’re promising things they just can’t deliver, they haven’t bought the capacity to deliver in the deals that they’re promising, and they’re not, sort of, coming to the party till months down the track. Then customers are concerned that they just caught in this merry-go-round of one call centre to the next, or caught between NBN Co., is there any move to streamline that process for customers?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Look I think there are two avenues here. One is the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman. The other obviously is the ACCC. So those avenues are there for consumers. But I’m always open to how we can ensure greater transparency.
[ends]