Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I stand to support my colleagues Senator Ronaldson and Senator Birmingham and the coalition’s position with respect to this Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (National Broadband Network) Bill 2008. Senator Ronaldson has made some very important points, and the key one is this: that politics has come before policy. Nowhere is this point more important than it is in Tasmania. I want to make the point that in Tasmania we are in dire need of a broadband solution. Currently, we have one wholesale provider to the state—Telstra—and we are being poorly served in this monopoly situation in Tasmania. Internet speeds in Tasmania are up to 20 times slower than on the mainland. How is that for fairness and equity across the country?