Vast swathes of Western Australia will miss out on a world-class, fast broadband service under the Abbott Government, a senate inquiry will hear today.

Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said people across the state would be stranded on the obsolete copper telephone network under the current plan advanced by Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull.

"Farmers, regional architects, designers and software developers in WA could have been conducting business with people across the world with fast broadband," he said.

The public interest must come first in the review of the NBN, the Greens said today.

Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said that telecommunications users, advocacy groups and industry must be consulted and the review of the NBN made open and accountable to the public.

"Malcolm Turnbull has purged the board and might seek to remake the NBN in his own image, but the NBN is public infrastructure paid for by the Australian people - and the public have a right to know what is happening and to make their voices heard.

Following resignations from the NBN Co board, the Greens have again urged the Coalition to ditch its plan to strand Australia on an obsolete copper network.

“It’s been just over a fortnight and everything the Coalition touches turns to ash,” Senator Ludlam said.

“There is still time for this Government to abandon ‘fraudband’ and get the project back on track.

“The NBN needs to be public, transparent, fast and unfiltered – that is what the Greens worked for at every step of the process.

Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam is in Geraldton for the ‘Switch On' of the National Broadband Network.

As the Greens communications spokesperson Senator Ludlam played a key role in negotiating the legislative framework of the NBN, introducing safeguards against privatising the Network.

The Australian Greens have confirmed their support for NBNCo remaining a publicly-owned fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network, and urged the Opposition to reconsider its proposal to leave up to nine million households and businesses stranded on an obsolete copper network.

Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications
Legislation Committee
Answers to questions on notice
Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities portfolio
Budget Estimates, May 2012
Program: Division or Agency: 2.2: SPAD Question
No:
054
Topic: Suburban Jobs Program -
application process
Proof Hansard Page and Date
or Written Question:
98
(22/5/12)

Senator Ludlam asked:

Senator LUDLAM: With that in mind, do you prioritise areas where Mr Quigley is going first?

With more than 3.5 million homes, businesses, hospitals, schools and others to be connected to the National Broadband Network under the new fibre rollout plan, it's time for the Coalition to abandon their dogmatic vow to "demolish" the NBN, the Greens said today.

Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the Opposition must drop their plan to gut the NBN.

The National Broadband Network is too important to be exposed to any security risk but the Government should explain any bans on companies from NBN tenders, the Australian Greens said today.

Responding to the news Chinese technology giant Huawei has been excluded from tenders for the NBN, Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said "the Government is right to be cautious, but needs to make the case for the ban public".