Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is directed to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. I refer the minister to the government’s pre-election pledge to begin construction of a national broadband network by the end of this year and the decision to abolish the $2 billion Communications Fund established by the previous coalition government to future-proof rural and regional telecommunications services. Minister, when will the government deliver on its broadband promises to regional households and businesses and what arrangements has the government put in place to deliver emerging technology to rural and regional communities in perpetuity?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was hopeful I might get a question in my portfolio of regional development, but of course the National Party are not interested—they have vacated that particular field. I am asked about the government’s commitment to the national broadband network, and I am happy to answer. The fact is that we are moving on delivering our commitment during the election campaign where we promised to allocate some $4.7 billion to roll out the national broadband network. The shadow minister knows that proposals are due tomorrow, 26 November, and therefore it certainly would not be appropriate to speculate on that process, as the Deputy Prime Minister did not yesterday.