Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The government promised Australians to partner with the private sector to upgrade the existing fibre network to deliver speeds of a minimum of 12 megabits per second to 98 per cent of Australians. That is what the government promised. Not only have they not delivered it; there is no vestige, no remnant, of a prospect that they will. This is tragic for Australians at large, particularly those in currently underserviced areas. The government’s promise is in tatters, as exhibited and writ large by the tender process thus far. Prior to this there have been public comments by tenderers and would-be tenderers about the frustrations that they have experienced in trying to say what they would do to bid to be part of the government’s proposal, while the government has refused to set out what the regulatory environment would be, what the regulatory rules under which a successful bidder would operate would be.

Worse than that, we have essentially seen a stand-off between Telstra and the government, with Telstra wanting one thing and the government refusing to commit to that thing or to something else—or to anything else. And then at the last minute a would-be tenderer effectively puts in a proposal, a proposition, an invitation to treat—we know not what it is. What are the other tenderers who have complied with the government’s rules thus far—as best they can, given that they do not know what they will be, should they be successful—supposed to think of, do with, provide for in respect of a proposal put up by another would-be bidder? The environment is totally uncertain. It is wholly unsatisfactory. And this is a tragedy for Australians.

Debate interrupted.