16 October 2015: More than 40,000 premises in the electorate of Dawson will see construction start for connection to the NBN over the next two years. NBN Co released their rollout plans this morning for the next three years of construction and 43,780 homes in Dawson were listed. Most will see construction started next year.The NBN was in a shambles and going nowhere under Labor’s slow and expensive plan to dig up gardens and punch holes in every home – whether they wanted the NBN or not. The current rollout plan shows we can deliver faster internet to more homes, quicker and at more affordable prices.North Queensland suburbs on the latest rollout plan include:

• 6,480 premises in Annandale, Cluden, Douglas, Idalia, Mount Stuart, Murray, Nome, Oonoonba, Stuart, and Wulguru (construction starts in fourth quarter of next year);
• 3,500 premises in Bowen (construction starts in second quarter of next year);
• 1,700 premises in Proserpine (construction starts in the second quarter of next year);
• 6,500 premises in Ayr and Home Hill (construction starts in December);
• 500 premises in Seaforth (construction starts in March next year);
• 11,500 premises in Andergrove, Beaconsfield, Cremorne, Glenella, Mackay Harbour, Mount Pleasant, North Mackay, and Slade Point (constructions starts in the first quarter of 2017);
• 7,700 premises in Beaconsfield, Blacks Beach, Bucasia, Dolphin Heads, Eimeo, Richmond, Rural View, and Shoal Point (construction starts in the third quarter of next year); and
• 5,900 premises in Airlie Beach, Cannonvale, Jubilee Pocket, and Mandalay (construction started last month).

Today’s comprehensive three-year construction plan will network over nine million premises across the nation. The availability of a detailed rollout sequence means most Australians now know when the NBN will reach their neighbourhood. For the first time, the rollout forecast includes metropolitan areas containing almost three million premises across six Australian cities, where existing hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) cable networks will be upgraded and integrated into the NBN. By using the existing copper and cable infrastructure running into homes, NBN Co could complete the network far sooner and at dramatically lower cost to taxpayers. The release of the plan is an important milestone as NBN Co works to speed up rollout progress and make the build as cost-efficient as possible. Industry and consumers now have access to reliable information about the progress of the network, which will enable them to plan and invest for the future. Today’s announcement brings the total number of homes and business with NBN access or construction under way by September 2018 to approximately:

• 1.9 million in Queensland
• 2.8 million in New South Wales
• 2.5 million in Victoria
• 970,000 in Western Australia
• 750,000 in South Australia
• 72,000 in NT, and
• 134,000 in the ACT.

Tasmania will become the first state to be fully networked with fast broadband access expected to be available everywhere before September 2018.