Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

The coalition attempt to hide the deficiencies of their own policies by misleading the Australian public. They work on the basis that, if you are going to tell a lie, you should tell a big one. That is their strategy. The member for Cowper recently claimed that NBN Co. is running $10 billion over budget. The member for Moncrieff has written to constituents claiming that the coalition plan will cost $60 billion less. Let me give you the truth about the coalition plan. The coalition plan is to borrow $29 billion. Senator Joyce must have missed that shadow cabinet. The dog must have eaten his homework that day. You are borrowing $29 billion for your NBN; what are we borrowing? Thirty billion dollars. Wow! Extravagance on the Labor side, but $29 billion worth of borrowing is okay.

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.