Published: 2 March 2018
Author: Mitch Fifield
Publication: West Australian, page 52.

 

WA’s good NBN profile

State rivalries may be unavoidable, but the claim that West Australians are being dudded in the NBN rollout compared with other States is simply baseless (WA to cop slowest NBN connections, News, 28/2).

The NBN rollout in our biggest State is much further progressed than in the Eastern States.

In WA, fewer than two in 10 premises are still waiting for NBN construction to start.

Regional centres including Kalgoorlie, Bunbury, Albany and Kununurra are now enjoying faster internet speeds than millions of east coast city-dwellers still waiting for upgrades.

Across metropolitan Perth, the rollout continues apace. All NBN technologies will deliver a huge uplift in internet speed.

Research out this week shows the NBN network has ample capacity to meet Australians’ growing appetite for data and internet speed well into the next decade.

When you can do all you need to online and all for an affordable charge, technology comparisons are largely meaningless.

The obvious dud was Labor’s attempt to build the NBN in WA. By 2013 not even 1000 houses had been hooked up to the NBN.

Under the coalition, more than 805,000 premises across WA can connect to NBN services, and there are more than 365,000 active users.

The coalition’s economical and time-saving approach to completing the NBN will stop internet bills rising by up to $500 a year and deliver better broadband for every Australian household by 2020.

Senator Mitch Fifield , Canberra

(Our correspondent is Federal Minister for Communications).