The Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network will be holding a public hearing at Mingara on Wednesday, August 2.
Public submissions will start at 8:00am and are expected to conclude at around 3:00pm.
The Central Coast Business Chamber will provide evidence at the hearing, along with representatives from Tumbi Sand and Soil, Warnervale Regional Uniting Church and the Central Coast Rudolf Steiner School. Mr David Abrahams from Coastal Connexions, the local think tank that produced a major study on the roll out of NBN on the Central Coast, will also make a presentation to the Standing Committee. The Coastal Connexions report, captured evidence of a two-tiered NBN roll out on the Central Coast.
Those connected to the fibre-to-premises version of the National Broadband Network rolled out in areas including the Gosford Central Business District, had exceptionally positive experiences. However, many Central Coast residents, business owners and professionals had a very different experience because they received the fibre-to-thenode version of the NBN. The hearing is also expected to uncover problems related to the telecommunications companies making promises to their customers about speeds and bandwidth that they simply cannot keep.
Liberal MP, Ms Susan Ley, is the Chair of the Committee. Senator Deborah O’Neill and the Member for Robertson, Ms Lucy Wicks, are both members of the Committee. Its other members are: Mr Josh Wilson (Labor); Mr Andrew Broad (Nationals); Ms Gai Brodtmann (Labor); Senator Stirling Griff (Xenophon); Senator Pauline Hanson (One Nation); Mr Luke Howarth (Liberal); Senator Jane Hume (Liberal); Mr Stephen Jones (Labor); Senator Chris Ketter (Labor); Senator Scott Ludlan (WA); Ms Cathy McGowan (Indi); Mr Brian Mitchell (Labor); Senator Dean Smith (Liberal); and Senator Anne Urquhart (Labor). The Committee was formed in September 2016 to inquire into and report on the roll out of the National Broadband Network. Labor’s Shadow Minister for Regional Communications, Mr Stephen Jones, was expected to address the media during the Hearing.
Source: Media alert, Jul 31 Stephen Jones, Shadow Minister for Regional Communications