Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I am glad that Senator Minchin is able to read out the answer to a question; we provided the information to him. If you are seeking—and I was not quite sure about what your question was seeking—the latest information, I am happy to get that for you. I do not have it handy, but I am happy to get for you any information once I have it.

Let me be very clear about the role of NBN: it is a start-up company that started from zero employees less than a year ago and has been working incredibly hard to deliver on the government’s policy agenda—that is, to deliver broadband to every Australian after the disgraceful state of broadband in this country left by those opposite after 11½ years. There were 18 failed broadband plans, and the last of those failed broadband plans in fact did not have a cost-benefit analysis attached to it. The OPEL project had no cost-benefit analysis behind it whatsoever; it was $1 billion given to one company after the goalposts were moved. Let us be very clear: there was no cost-benefit analysis and at the same time those opposite were actually engaged in requests for tender on a fibre process in the main capital cities. There was no cost-benefit analysis done before they started a process themselves. So, for those opposite to come in here and start attacking the employees of the National Broadband Network as if they are not doing anything, is grossly unfair and should be seen for what it is: an opposition bereft of a policy. (Time expired)