Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis said the different technologies used to provide the NBN to Australian homes was part of the overall strategy of the Coalition. “At the last election parts of the Nowra-Bomaderry area were already in the planning phase for fibre-to-the-premises, and some regional plans had already been contracted, so rather than delay the process the FTTP was continued, with fibre-to-the-node in other areas,” she said.

“As with all services the government provides, the NBN requires a balancing act between the perception of need, what is an affordable need and the service that can be delivered. That is where the use of mixed technology excels. By using a mix of technologies we have been able to reduce the overall cost along with the time required to connect homes and businesses in Australia.”

She said the different technologies, like fixed wireless, offered a solution for people living in remote areas where FTTN would be expensive and potentially unreliable. 

“The figures show FTTN is more than adequate for the needs of most people,” she said. “Where FTTP is available, virtually no one has taken up the highest speeds on offer. And of all NBN customers, 83 per cent have opted to take plans at the lowest speeds of 25Mbps download and 5Mbps upload, because that meets their requirements.”

Mrs Sudmalis said FTTN would also result in homes being connected to broadband faster and said completion was expected by 2020.

Labor candidate for Gilmore Fiona Phillips said she did not agree with the split in technology throughout the area. “The large parts of North Nowra, West Nowra and Bomaderry that have FTTP is because it was under Labor’s previous NBN policy,” she said. 

This was “scrapped” by Malcolm Turnbull in 2013 and the resulting split in technology would “create inequity, and leave our area behind and hamstring into the future,” Mrs Phillips said.

Labor’s original plan would have delivered optic fibre to 93 per cent of homes and businesses with speeds of up to 1Gb per second on a network capable of higher speeds into the future, she said.

“It would have provided businesses, entrepreneurs, students and scientists with the tools they needed to compete in the global economy of the 21st century, helping create jobs,” Mrs Phillips said. 

“In the last three years Australia has plummeted from 30th in the world for internet speeds to 60th. We need to ensure our broadband infrastructure is competitive globally. Our neighbours in the region – Japan, South Korea, Singapore, even New Zealand – are rolling out fibre networks. We are now behind most of Europe and Asia. We are behind the United States, Canada and New Zealand. We are even behind Romania, Russia, Poland and Slovakia.

“Without super fast broadband there will be lost opportunities for local businesses and innovation will be lost to overseas markets – and the jobs will follow.”