Turnbull's NBN cuts leave Illawarra residents in limbo and workers out of a job

22 November 2013

Jason_Clare_NBN_Horsley.jpgShadow Minister for Communications Jason Clare,Member for Cunningham Sharon Bird and Member for Throsby Stephen Jonestoday met with residentsinHorsley,whoare just some of 29,000 localswipedofftheNBN rollout map by the Coalition Government.

Countless residents have been contacting Sharon and myself over the past month concerned about the future of the NBN here in the region, said Mr Jones.

And they have every right to be concerned. One day theyre seeing NBN trucks in their streets. The next day theyre gone.

There was no warning. Noapologyand no real explanation from the Government and whats going to happen next.

Invisibility is not transparency. Malcolm Turnbull has a responsibility to explain to local residents, who had been promised the NBN, when they will be connected and what they will get, said Ms Bird.

Malcolm Turnbull doesn't understand the regional infrastructure issues we have here like overcrowded exchanges, its a massive burden.

"Malcolm Turnbull is creating two classes of people here: those that will have fibre all the way to their homes and those that will not." Mr Clare said.

Jason Clare said the Governments decision to rip 29,000 Illawarra homes and businesses off the NBN rollout maphas also resulted inasmany as40NBN constructionworkers losing their jobs.

This is despiteassurancesfrom Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull that he wouldensure the NBNs current contractors do not have to lay off staff.

Malcolm Turnbull says one thing and does another. He pledged to protect theseexact jobs that have been lost, said Mr Clare.

Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull have pulled the plug on homes and businessesrightacross the Illawarra that were expecting to receive fibre to the home. This has meant local NBN workers have lost their jobs and local residents have been left in limbo.