I rise today to speak in favour of the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (National Broadband Network Measures No. 1) Bill 2009, a bill supporting the government’s rollout of a national broadband network for Australia. This bill is an adjustment to the Telecommunications Act and is concerned with access to network information and its protection. The information will support the national broadband implementation study that will guide the NBN rollout.

Let us just consider for one minute why we need to implement this amendment to the Telecommunications Act. It is because the government has decided to act when it comes to our nation’s infrastructure. The opposition, when in government, neglected the country’s critical economic infrastructure. It has been left to the Rudd government to fix. This bill and the National Broadband Network is the government’s plan to fix the former coalition government’s shocking track record when it comes to broadband. In fact, when it comes to broadband the Howard government’s legacy is shameful. They had 18 failed broadband schemes over their time in government.