AXING OF UNIVERSAL WHOLESALE NBN PRICING A SLAP IN THE FACE TO RURAL AND REGIONAL TASMANIANS

Senator Bilyk today said the Abbott Government’s plans to abandon uniform wholesale pricing for the National Broadband Network would entrench the economic disadvantage experienced by Tasmania.

“As an island state, Tasmania already has difficulty maintaining equal access to services and business opportunities compared to the rest of Australia,” Senator Bilyk said.

“Making homes and businesses in rural and regional Tasmania pay more for their broadband than customers in inner-city Melbourne or Sydney will only make the situation worse.”

Senator Bilyk called on Tasmanian Federal Liberal Members and Senators to stand up for Tasmanians and demand the return of universal wholesale pricing for NBN services.

“Eric Hutchinson, Brett Whiteley and Andrew Nikolic failed to stand up to the Abbott Government over their broken promise to deliver the full fibre-to-the-premises rollout in Tasmania,” Senator Bilyk said.

“Now they must stand up for Tasmanians, particularly rural and regional Tasmanians, and demand that they get access to broadband for same price as the rest of Australia.”

SENATOR CATRYNA BILYK LABOR SENATOR FOR TASMANIA DEPUTY OPPOSITION WHIP IN THE SENATE