Silence the rule on set-top gripes

THE Gillard government has failed to reveal whether any complaints have been lodged about its free digital set-top box scheme.

THE Gillard government has failed to reveal whether any complaints have been lodged about its free digital set-top box scheme, despite public assurances there have been no safety concerns or shonky operators.

After Julia Gillard was forced to defend the $308 million expansion of the Household Assistance Scheme last week and her government's record on waste, The Australian requested information on Friday about whether any complaints had been made.

Emails were sent to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, as well as Centrelink, which is co-ordinating the program, asking for details on the number and nature of any complaints.

John Noble, senior communications adviser for the Broadband Department, wrote in an email to The Australian later that day that to prepare a "comprehensive response to your questions would require analysis of data from the department's call centre and suppliers" and this would not be available by deadline.

Dozens of phone calls and emails over the following days netted little success. Despite repeated assurances, the department had not provided any information by yesterday. A spokeswoman for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy did not respond to requests for comment.

Senator Conroy told ABC radio yesterday that the roll-out, which has delivered 38,000 set-top boxes to pensioners across regional Victoria and regional South Australia ahead of the digital television switchover in 2013, had been delivered "without any health and safety incidents".

"We have rigorous processes in place to ensure that we get value for money for taxpayers," Senator Conroy said. However, The Australian had not hade a suggestion about health and safety issues, rather general complaints.

Liberal MP Jamie Briggs, who chairs the Coalition's scrutiny of government waste committee, demanded that the minister release the data.

"If Senator Conroy wants to claim that this program has been met with bouquets of flowers, then release the data and prove it," Mr Briggs said.

"It's no good for him to make these claims if he's not prepared to back it up with evidence. What has he got to hide?"

Dozens of anecdotal complaints have been made to local Coalition MPs across regional Victoria and South Australia. One involved an incident with a contractor who failed to successfully install the box because he did not plug the aerial connection into the wall.

Another pensioner complained they could not get the digital television working, despite being able to see the town's main transmitter from the house.

Dan Tehan, the MP for Wannon in regional Victoria, said he was concerned the scheme was not good value for taxpayers.

"I know of two local installers who would not participate in the program because they feared waste similar to that which occurred in the pink batts fiasco," Mr Tehan said.

The Liberal member for Murray, Sharman Stone, said her electorate office, in regional Victoria, had received 12 to 20 complaints about the implementation.

John Forrest -- the Nationals MP for Mallee, which takes in the first digital television trial site of Mildura -- said he had referred at least a dozen complaints to Senator Conroy's office.