Federal Broadband Minister Stephen Conroy says he supports a move by Premier David Bartlett to force Tasmanians to opt out of the National Broadband Network.
Speaking in Launceston this morning, Senator Conroy said it was in the interests of ordinary Tasmanians to have their homes connected to the NBN.
The NBN is being rolled out in Scottsdale, Smithton and Midway Point _ the first towns in the nation to be connected.
People living in those towns have been offered free connections to the NBN, through an ``opt in'' system.
However, Senator Conroy said he approved of changing planning legislation to make the connections ``opt out'' instead.
``At the moment we have to get written permission to come onto people's property,'' Senator Conroy said.
``If David Bartlett, with the support of state Opposition Leader Will Hodgman and the Greens, are willing to amend the legislation and the planning laws in his state we think that
would be fantastic.
``We are dead keen to connect to every home.
``Ultimately _ through our agreement with Telstra _ we will be disconnecting the (existing copper telephone lines).
``The only way to make a fixed-line phone call will be on the NBN, so we ultimately will have to connect to every single home in Tasmania.
``That is why this suggestion that has been put forward is absolutely the right way to go.''
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