Mr TOYNE - 2000-08-10
One of the minister’s constituents who lives in Tiwi was thrilled when he saw the multiple TV ads, the glossy brochure in his letter box and many ads in the NT News telling him that the TV reception problems he and his family have lived with for 10 years would be fixed once and for all. He purchased the recommended piece of equipment and followed the instructions to the letter. He now finds that his reception is worse than before the minister committed $1m of taxpayers’ money trying to improve it. After 10 years of broken promises, can the minister advise his constituent what he should do next to get the TV reception that other Australians take for granted?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, he did not follow the instructions. He didn’t read the brochure. Can I explain what he has done?
When we put this infrastructure in - and when we talk about $1m, we are talking about over 10 years for starters, so again let’s get a shred of honesty into this - we needed to educate the public as to maximising the chances of getting better reception as a result of the government’s work. We did say at the time that we expected the problem to be solved in probably 97-99% of cases. There would always be one or two exceptions.
In this particular case, we also suggested getting some technical advice from various sources. We have seen in this case that the simple use of a booster would solve the problem. In other words - and this information will be passed on to this person …
Mr Toyne: What do you get after the booster?
Mr ADAMSON: If Comrade Toyne would listen to the answer, he did not follow, as you claim, our suggestions to the letter. If he follows our suggestions of either getting technical advice or looking at the option of using a booster … The claim is that in that area we have a shadow on 100-odd houses, which is not the case. But in certain cases, we have said all along that things that will maximise the chances are things like a high-gain antenna and boosters, and in this particular case that would help. We have suggested it over the hotline.
All this advice is there. If people don’t follow that advice, what can we do about that? If we publish a brochure, we run a public education program, and then we have the member for Stuart misleadingly claiming that, despite the fact that people have followed our advice to the letter, the situation hasn’t improved, what can we do? They have not in this case followed the advice to the letter.
We will continue with our public education program. The member for Nelson now has to do that. Our public education program is going very well. The hotline is passing that advice on to the public.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is becoming increasingly difficult to hear an answer when we have cross-Chamber chatter.
Mr ADAMSON: It is as simple as that. A booster will probably solve that problem. We are simply encouraging people to realise that, while some people have the technical expertise to do it themselves, often you do need a professional installer. They have meters, for instance, that can do signal readings, and it is very easy to run a signal check to find out whether a booster is required in addition to the antenna. If our advice is followed to the letter, the situation in this specific case will be solved.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, he did not follow the instructions. He didn’t read the brochure. Can I explain what he has done?
When we put this infrastructure in - and when we talk about $1m, we are talking about over 10 years for starters, so again let’s get a shred of honesty into this - we needed to educate the public as to maximising the chances of getting better reception as a result of the government’s work. We did say at the time that we expected the problem to be solved in probably 97-99% of cases. There would always be one or two exceptions.
In this particular case, we also suggested getting some technical advice from various sources. We have seen in this case that the simple use of a booster would solve the problem. In other words - and this information will be passed on to this person …
Mr Toyne: What do you get after the booster?
Mr ADAMSON: If Comrade Toyne would listen to the answer, he did not follow, as you claim, our suggestions to the letter. If he follows our suggestions of either getting technical advice or looking at the option of using a booster … The claim is that in that area we have a shadow on 100-odd houses, which is not the case. But in certain cases, we have said all along that things that will maximise the chances are things like a high-gain antenna and boosters, and in this particular case that would help. We have suggested it over the hotline.
All this advice is there. If people don’t follow that advice, what can we do about that? If we publish a brochure, we run a public education program, and then we have the member for Stuart misleadingly claiming that, despite the fact that people have followed our advice to the letter, the situation hasn’t improved, what can we do? They have not in this case followed the advice to the letter.
We will continue with our public education program. The member for Nelson now has to do that. Our public education program is going very well. The hotline is passing that advice on to the public.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is becoming increasingly difficult to hear an answer when we have cross-Chamber chatter.
Mr ADAMSON: It is as simple as that. A booster will probably solve that problem. We are simply encouraging people to realise that, while some people have the technical expertise to do it themselves, often you do need a professional installer. They have meters, for instance, that can do signal readings, and it is very easy to run a signal check to find out whether a booster is required in addition to the antenna. If our advice is followed to the letter, the situation in this specific case will be solved.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016