George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

To deal first with your first observation, I did not say that the government does not know what figure it is dealing with. I said there are a range of estimates and the government, as part of this process, will select what it considers to be the most reasonable and credible estimate and contribute a substantial proportion of that as its contribution to the capital costs of industry.

In relation to the other matters that you raise, a lot of the considerations that you have adverted to are, I think, very pertinent considerations. I do not cast aspersions on the telecommunications industry either, but the hazards that you identify in a negotiation of that kind are undoubtedly present and they are something that the government is seeking to guard against. That is why we have had the long consultation with industry, by the way. So that is the process. The process is the consultation with industry to satisfy ourselves—I think you would acknowledge that it can only be an estimate—what is the most reliable and credible estimate to use as our base figure for the proportionate contribution that we have promised to make. In that regard, I will not read it into the record because I do not want to prolong things, but recommendation 16 of the PJCIS report also specifically addresses the issue you raise and was adopted by the government.