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

Today’s announcement means that communities across Australia, from city to country and back, and families and businesses both big and small can all take comfort that, regardless of where they are, they will have access to the NBN. This is another significant step forward in the delivery of the NBN, the largest nation-building infrastructure project in Australia’s history. As well as allowing for a cheaper, more efficient rollout of the NBN, the in-principle agreement ensures there is continuity of basic, universal service outcomes for consumers while the country transitions to the NBN. Under the 11 years of the previous Howard government broadband policy was neglected, resulting in many people in outer suburban and rural and regional Australia being treated like second-class citizens. It has taken the Gillard Labor government to address this neglect. (Time expired)