MICHELLE ROWLAND MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS
MEMBER FOR GREENWAY

FLETCHER INTRODUCES BROADBAND TAX ON NBN COMPETITION  — CONTRADICTING HIS OWN COMMENTS

The Minister for Communications has today introduced legislation proposing a cost-recovery tax on broadband networks competing with NBN.

This is a direct contradiction of the Minister’s claims that he wants to rely on competition.

In September, in a speech to CEDA, the Minister was quoted as saying the following in response to a question about the NBN:

“We are going to need to rely on and boost competition to make sure that our fixed networks continue to upgrade and stay in tune with world developments.”

The Bill introduced today is a direct contradiction of that statement – it is a levy whose primary purpose is to reduce competition.

No wonder the telecommunications industry is perplexed by the Minister’s confused rhetoric on issues such as the role of NBN in enterprise and investment in competing networks.

“At a time of uncertainty, the last thing the industry needs is a Minister who says one thing and then does another”, Ms Rowland said.

The Bill proposes to levy a $7 per month charge on every service connected to a non-NBN network, such as TPG’s fibre to the basement network.

THURSDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2019