By Claire Reilly
Senator Stephen Conroy, the Minister responsible for the roll out of digital television in Australia, has confirmed an approximate costing for the Federal Government's set-top box installation scheme.
Conroy’s comments follow reports in The Australian newspaper that the Household Assistance Scheme (HAS), which was set up to assist people such as pensioners and low-income households with gaining access to digital television, was costing an average of $698 per installation.
“The calculations printed in The Australian newspaper are completely false and the method used to calculate them are intellectually dishonest,” said Senator Conroy.
“Until now I have been reluctant to provide indicative average costs for a scheme that requires flexibility to rollout in a country as big and diverse as ours. However, it is essential to correct misinformation and ensure ongoing confidence in a Scheme that contributes so much for so many.
“For this reason I have decided to release an indicative price range to quell the myths circulating around this highly successful program.
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Conroy outlined details of the HAS, noting that individual installations varied depending on the location and needs of the resident requiring the set-top box.
“Figures from the Queensland component of the program show that the cost of an installation of a specially designed set top box starts at as little as $158 for a household in a large regional city. This includes a comprehensive 12 month in-home after care warranty that guarantees the replacement of the box should it not work as it properly.
“For an installation of a set top box in a household in a small country town, including a full antenna upgrade, the cost rises to $492.”
Conroy also mentioned that installations in more remote areas of rural Australia, such as outback Queensland, could cost up to $1,528, including the cost of installing a satellite dish, decoder and new wiring, as well as costs incurred by installers travelling great distances to do “more than simply connecting a set top box and tuning to the television”.
When The Australian originally broke its story, online retail entrepreneur Ruslan Kogan issued a bullish press release, stating that consumers could purchase a Kogan-branded flat panel TV for the same price as the $698 figure quoted.
However, Senator Conroy insisted that the set-top boxes used in the HAS program were “not the sort of set-top boxes that can be bought on a palette”.
“They have to be specially procured to meet the needs of vulnerable households, some of which may have hearing or vision impairments,” he said. “It is also important to note that that these costs also include 12 month in-home after care service which is not something you can buy in a store.”