Ms MCBAIN (Eden-Monaro—Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) (14:53):

I thank the member for his question. He does such a cracking job advocating for the people of the Hunter, and we appreciate it. Like me, he knows the importance of reliable internet in our regional communities. In 2024, reliable connectivity is no longer a nice-to-have. It's an absolute necessity, and that's why we're fixing the reckless and deliberate underinvestment from those opposite and making sure that we keep the NBN in public hands.

This means we can retain oversight on pricing, on infrastructure investment and, most importantly, on service quality, because the string-and-can approach doesn't work anymore. As part of our record investment, we're delivering $2.4 billion to expand full fibre internet access to 1.5 million premises across the nation, including 660,000 in our regions, providing uncapped data and faster speeds under Sky Muster, because you shouldn't be penalised because of your postcode.

I've driven around regional towns and communities over the last few years, and do you know what I haven't heard once? I haven't heard: 'Let's make the NBN a little bit worse'—because that's what we've been talking about in the House today. We on this side of the House want to keep the NBN in public hands so that we can maintain control over service, delivery and quality. On this side of the House we want to keep it in Australian hands for Australian people. Those opposite voted against that today because they want to sell it off to the lowest bidder.

If the Leader of the Opposition ever set foot out of inner-city Brisbane, he would know that in the regions we need high-speed internet and we need to keep the NBN in public hands. I mean, hang on! I understand he went to the shire of Collie in WA, snuck in the back door, and then ran out in a tinted window car without speaking to a single worker or regular person in the street. Regional communities like mine rely on the NBN to work remotely, to access health and education services and to run our small businesses.

It was a Labor government that established the NBN, because we've always been committed to building Australia's future. During the disastrous decade that those opposite had, they dismantled the NBN. Fifteen minutes down the road in Jerrabomberra—you don't have to go far to see what happened—half the suburb have copper, which drops out every time there is heavy rain. Underinvestment is the MO of the Liberals. They are the party of privatisation and half-baked ideas. Don't take my word for it. The mayor of Flinders Ranges said, 'The first thing that goes under privatisation is service.' And isn't that right! Like nuclear, they don't have a plan for connectivity other than selling the NBN. On this side of the House we will back Australian communities right around the regions.