House debates

Thursday, 3 March 2016

Bills

Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Access Regime and NBN Companies) Bill 2015; Consideration in Detail

10:12 am

Photo of Ed HusicEd Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

It is. It is a broadband network absolutely designed by Blackadder's Baldrick, as the member for Wakefield rightly points out. And it may be the case that Baldrick is on the management team of nbn co. The minister pointed out the great management team. You have the CEO, Bill Morrow, who turns up to Senate estimates and is asked a series of questions about the network he is managing and probably 90 per cent of the questions that were raised with him were taken on notice. If this was a person who had command of the facts and was such a singularly impressive management representative, as the minister is suggesting, you would think he would be able to answer questions. But he cannot, and the reason he cannot is that he is not focused on the job of this rollout.

He is now in defensive mode trying to work out why there is leak after leak from his own organisation. nbn co's internal organisation are in revolt. They are in a rebellion. They do not believe in their heart of hearts that the network that is being foisted upon the Australian public by those opposite is one that will deliver, and that is why they are leaking. They do not have confidence in the CEO and they do not have confidence in Ziggy Switkowski. If Ziggy Switkowski is so great, why doesn't he spend more time talking about the NBN than telling us about the value of nuclear power? His Suncorp shareholders are equally concerned that it seems that he is not focused on the job that is required and is necessary. He always diverts his attention. That is why you have an organisation in revolt. That is why consumers are in revolt over this. And that is why we are being misled about this network rollout by those opposite—and they stand condemned for it.

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