While they say their NBN is only marginally more expensive than the Coalition’s fibre-to-the-node plan, the Coalition doubts they can achieve the feat in time and on budget.

Shadow communications minister Jason Clare made the announcement in Bendigo on Thursday afternoon, with construction to start in 2017.

The Bendigo CBD would receive the fast internet first, to be followed by houses in Bendigo’s west and north. They include Eaglehawk, Epsom, Huntly, Maiden Gully, Marong, White Hills and California Gully.

Homes in all other suburbs, which have already started to get fibre-to-the-node internet, would have to wait until after the other areas are complete before they could upgrade. These include Kangaroo Flat, Golden Square, Strathdale and Strathfieldsaye.

New housing estates are also included in Labor’s fibre-to-the-home plan.

Mr Clare said the plan would make Bendigo’s speed equal with those in Ballarat.

“In places like Ballarat they getting – or they already have – fibre to their business,” he said.

“Unless we do the same thing here in Bendigo, then Bendigo is going to be at a disadvantage compared to Ballarat.”

Labor’s internet plan would offer speeds of 100 megabits per second, with a potential for 1 gigabit per second. The Coalition’s fibre-to-the-node NBN offers maximum speeds of 25 megabits per second.

Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said the Coalition had promised to have Bendigo connected to the NBN by 2016, but had failed in its commitment.

Labor estimates their plan will cost $3.4 billion more than the Coalition’s in capital costs, but believes it will save $1.2 billion in running costs.

Those figures were disputed by Liberal candidate for Bendigo Megan Purcell, who said NBN Co found Labor’s plan to cost $30 billion more and would take eight years longer.

“Now Labor are saying that there will be a little additional cost and that Labor’s roll out will be finished at roughly the same time – it’s a magic pudding,” she said.

Ms Purcell said the Coalition was connecting more people to the internet each month than Labor connected during its last term in government.

“Under the Turnbull Liberal Government, all Australians will be connected to the nbn by 2020, six to eight years earlier and $30 billion cheaper than Labor’s best projections when they were last in office,” she said.