On Wednesday 11th February 2026, I made a speech about telecommunications and NBN
Transcript:
Ms WATSON-BROWN (Ryan):
Let's talk about the abysmal telecommunications infrastructure in my electorate. A phone call can be the difference between life and death. A fall, a heart attack—our community needs to be able to reach out for help. But in my electorate, the vast majority of which is less than 20 kays from the Brisbane CBD, people are being left without basic phone and internet services. It's a result of the privatisation of our infrastructure, and the ridiculous mandate that NBN Co, set up to provide fast internet to all Australians, act like a for-profit company. It's particularly bad in areas like Brookfield, Upper Brookfield and Kenmore Hills, where recent power outages due to summer storms exacerbated the issue and, with roads cut off, led to no communication whatsoever with parts of that community. Down in Moggill, locals also report frequent issues. Even the local shopping complex doesn't have reception inside! A large commercial complex, 20 kays from the CBD, having no reception is simply unacceptable.
This week we found out the new forecast for the full rollout of the NBN won't be completed until 2040—2040! This is the result of years and years of cost-cutting. And with Telstra now in private hands, they have no real incentive to provide services if they're not profitable. We must ensure these essential services are run for public good and not profit.