4th Dec 2017, 4:50 PM – Senate Motions - Broadband - Make NBN work

The majority voted in favour of a motion condemning the Government's approach to the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Motions like these don't have legal force but can be influential as they represent the will of the Senate.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Prime Minister is responsible for the decision to abandon optical fibre and instead deploy a second-rate National Broadband Network (NBN),

(ii) NBN Co abandoned use of the Optus Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) infrastructure because it was deemed not fit for purpose,

(iii) NBN Co has announced the company will immediately halt the HFC rollout because the technology is delivering poor service quality,

(iv) NBN Co has indicated up to 2 million homes could have their NBN connection delayed by 6 to 9 months because of the mismanagement of the HFC rollout, and

(v) it is nearly 2018 and the NBN still does not work properly; and

(b) calls on the Minister for Communications to:

(i) stop attacking the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and instead focus on making the NBN work, and

(ii) apologise to the 48 000 households and small businesses in the electorate of Bennelong who are currently scheduled to be served by the unreliable HFC network.