Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Sustainable Development and Cities) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Is your government still committed to deliver its promise to start construction of the national broadband network before the end of 2008?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question, although it is not clear to me that he still has responsibility for communications for the opposition—but I may have that wrong. On the question of the national broadband network, as members would be aware, the tender that the government has sought closes during the course of this week. Consequently, I will not be making any comments or speculation about what will flow from the closure of that tender round. We will go through that process, which is obviously subject to considerable legal requirements and considerable probity requirements, even if those things are not understood by members opposite. The outcome of the tender round will be available and will be transparent for all members of the House later in the week.