Conroy picks up set-top problems

ALMOST 150 complaints have been lodged about the Gillard government's free digital set-top box scheme.

ALMOST 150 complaints have been lodged about the Gillard government's free digital set-top box scheme, with 62 of the cases still under investigation.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said last week there had been "not one problem" with shonky installers or rorting under the first stage of the $308 million Household Assistance Scheme.

The rollout has helped nearly 40,000 pensioners switch to digital television.

"This program has been going for two years -- not one problem. This is a successful program," Senator Conroy told Radio 2GB on May 10.

A breakdown of data finally provided to The Australian by Senator Conroy's office -- almost a week after it was initially requested -- yesterday revealed there had been 64 complaints about installation issues and another 22 about the set-top boxes themselves.

Of these complaints, 45 had been resolved and 41 were still under investigation.

The government could not say what another 63 complaints were about, but confirmed 21 of those were still under investigation.

The complaints data only relates to the 26,500 set-top box installations in Victoria.

Senator Conroy's office could not provide figures on any complaints in South Australia or Mildura -- the pilot stages of the program -- as the original contracts "did not require" companies to "keep detailed information on complaints".

"These were pilot switchover areas and the change was made for the Victoria contract (and future contracts) as a result of lessons learned," Senator Conroy's spokeswoman said.

The minister said in a press release issued yesterday to all media following The Australian's repeated requests for information that the percentage of complaints for the regional Victorian rollout was just 0.56 per cent of the 26,500 installations.

"Just 149 complaints have been passed on to my department. All complaints have been investigated, and progress of the resolution is constantly monitored by my department," Senator Conroy said. "Feedback on the scheme has been overwhelmingly positive from the individuals being assisted and also peak bodies representing these communities."

Senator Conroy said a Newspoll taken after the switchover from analogue to digital television in regional Victoria found 96 per cent of people who received a free set-top box were satisfied with the program.

He told radio station 2GB last week the government has "not had a problem" with dodgy installers or with anyone trying to rort the program, as happened with the pink batts scheme.

"We are not aware of any problems along those lines, we are not aware of any bogus people involved in the installations," Senator Conroy said.

In the days following this interview on May 10, he stated: "We have no incidents whatsoever around suggestions of occupational health and safety."

The Australian's request for complaints data was for general complaints about the rollout, not health and safety issues.

Under the government's now-defunct home insulation scheme, the complaint rate was 0.7 per cent with 8000 grievances lodged out of 1.1 million households that received subsidised ceiling batts.