Senator LUNDY (2:11 PM) —My question is to Senator Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Does the minister recall her media release attempting to defend her claim that no-one is complaining about metropolitan broadband speed in Australia? Why did the minister claim that the number of Australians with access to ADSL broadband is ‘growing exponentially’ as carriers enable more and more exchanges under the Metropolitan Broadband Connect program? Can the minister confirm that this program was announced in the 2005 budget? Is it not true that, 18 months after it was announced, the program has been found to be an abject failure, with barely any of the $50 million allocated to it having actually been spent? Will the minister now apologise to Australians in metropolitan areas for misleading them about the impact of this program on their broadband access?

Senator COONAN (Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) —I thank Senator Lundy for the question. As you would expect, the only card that the Labor Party has to play in this broadband debate is to misrepresent what I have said. I have clearly said that, even in the absence of any metropolitan fibre network proposal by Telstra, Australians living in inner metropolitan areas can already access—

Senator Chris Evans —Oh, it’s ‘inner’ now? When did it become ‘inner’?

Senator COONAN —faster broadband speeds of between 12 and 18 megabits per second if they can access the ADSL2+ platform or the cable networks which run past around 3.7 million Australian homes.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator COONAN —I did say that. These are the same people who would have benefited from Telstra’s fibre-to-the-node network—which was what the conversation was all about—which, it is important to remember, would have been rolled out to the most populous parts of five capital cities, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, within five years from the date of commencement. The government’s longstanding policy of encouraging competition in telecommunications has delivered metropolitan consumers a choice of broadband provider and a choice of speeds. At least nine service providers already offer ADSL2+ in over 400 exchanges across metropolitan and some regional areas, and there are plans to extend these services with the installation of another 500 exchanges as competitors see an advantage with Telstra not proceeding with their fibre opportunity.

For the information of the Senate and those listening, service providers offering ADSL2+ include Adam Internet, Amcom, iiNET, Internode, OnTheNet, People Telecom, RIA, TPG and TSN. ADSL2+ and cable networks enable service providers to deliver a rich mix of data services to users, including high-quality video, audio, voice and text. In fact, ADSL2+ is the very technology that Telstra’s fibre network would have delivered to homes in some parts of the five capital cities. But even without a fibre network, the number of Australians with access to ADSL2+ technology could massively increase—and I have heard Senator Lundy say this in estimates—if only Telstra would flick the switch on its equipment and stop capping the speeds of its broadband services. However, as I have said previously, Australians do not necessarily have to wait for Telstra to resolve this matter. Painting a bleak picture of internet speeds is positively misleading. Around four million Australians have already connected to broadband, which is hardly an indictment of the broadband landscape.

That the Labor Party have the gall to attack this government on the provision of telecommunication services in this country is simply astonishing. These are the people who backed a plan just a few years ago to get the Australian taxpayer to pay $5 billion for dial-up internet. Having everybody stuck on very low speeds of dial-up internet would have been nice, wouldn’t it? Their latest fling is to pinch the $2 billion in the Communications Fund. Labor’s policies in this area are non-existent. They are an absolute farce and an absolute disgrace.

Senator LUNDY —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. While the minister continues to live in denial, perhaps she could tell the Senate if she is aware of the recent comments of prominent metropolitan Australian and PBL chairman, James Packer, that Australia’s broadband performance is ‘embarrassing’? In light of this comment, does the minister stand by her claim that no-one in metropolitan Australia is complaining about broadband speeds? In other words, should Mr Packer and all the others just shut up and stop complaining?

Senator COONAN (Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) —That seems to be a slightly different question, and I would love to answer it. But what I wanted to say to finish my previous answer was that the metropolitan broadband black spots program—

Senator Chris Evans —I rise on a point of order on relevance. Ministers cannot announce that they have chosen to answer another question which they have chosen to pose to themselves. It is clearly not in accordance with the standing orders. The minister is required to answer the question asked of her.

The PRESIDENT —I hear your point of order. Senator Coonan, you have 48 seconds to complete your answer and I remind you of the supplementary question.

Senator COONAN —Thank you very much. I know that this really upsets the Labor Party. The government’s metropolitan broadband black spots program is being rolled out. For Senator Lundy’s information, Telstra are in fact participating in filling these black spots around metropolitan areas. The Labor Party needs to get down to doing a bit of hard work in this area and understand what it is saying before it flings around allegations that it has no hope of substantiating.