Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband
2:31 pm
My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. I refer to the Economist Intelligence Unit's recent broadband report which confirmed that the NBN project is the most expensive, most anti-competitive broadband policy in the world, making Greece look like a model of frugality and China a beacon of competitive markets. Can the Acting Prime Minister explain how this will make broadband more affordable and Australia more productive? Doesn't Australia deserve better than this divided and directionless government?
Wayne Swan Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer
2:32 pm
There is a very simple answer to that question because the report, which I have read, from the Economist Intelligence Unit is not worth the paper it is written on.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Order! The Acting Prime Minister will resume his seat until the House comes to order.
Order! The member for North Sydney is warned.
Wayne Swan Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer
They got it wrong. The fact is that we had produced—
Opposition members interjecting—
Well, it is a fact.
Honourable members interjecting—
Mr Pyne interjecting—
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Order! The member for Sturt is now warned. The House will come to order.
Mr Dutton interjecting—
Order! The member for Dickson will leave the chamber for one hour under standing order 94(a).
The member for Dickson then left the chamber.
Wayne Swan Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer
I know those opposite think we live in a post-fact world. That is demonstrated in here every day of the week when it comes to basic facts about the economy, about levels of borrowing, about the IMF, about the NBN and about just about anything else. On this occasion they want to quote one report, but the evidence is contradicted by just about every other reputable report on the NBN that has been done around the world. I will quote someone that they like to quote occasionally, Mr Alan Kohler. He said:
Not only will the NBN not be a white elephant it will almost certainly prove to be a great investment. In fact, without wishing to get carried away … it could represent, on its own, a huge national savings plan. When it's finished the asset will be worth several times the government's investment of $27.5 billion.
End of story.