NBN Co’s confirmation that Kilkivan will receive fixed wireless broadband in late 2014 comes more than five years too late, Federal Member for Wide Bay Warren Truss said today.
“The truth is that fixed wireless broadband for these communities would have been a reality from 2009, had the Labor Government not axed the former Coalition Government’s Opel fast broadband plan,” Mr Truss said.
“Now, under Labor, Kilkivan will have to wait until the end of 2014 to access the same high speed broadband technology, which the Coalition’s plan would have delivered to them from 2009, at a fraction of the cost.
“Labor’s hypocrisy is staggering. In 2007 and for years afterwards, Labor rubbished fixed wireless broadband technology. Only fibre to the home was good enough!
“But now, having wasted billions of dollars and more than five years duplicating broadband services in the cities, Labor’s NBN has confirmed it will use fixed wireless to service most rural communities.
“The former Coalition Government’s broadband plan cost $900 million and would have been constructed by now and delivering high speed broadband to regional communities across Australia, using a mix of technologies, including fixed wireless.
“Instead, under Labor, we have had five years of waste and delays, with the cost of its NBN plan now certain to exceed $50 billion. Yet no one in Wide Bay will be connected to fibre optic cable until after 2016.
“The announcement that Kilkivan will be connected by fixed wireless broadband vindicates the former Coalition Government’s high speed broadband plan, which would have had the private sector delivering fibre optic cable around the nation with wireless and satellite services for those not able to have a cable connection.
“The real tragedy for rural and regional communities is that they should have been able to enjoy fast broadband long before now, instead of having to wait for the NBN to deploy similar technology in the years to come.”
