Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. Senator Conroy, as we know, has mishandled the NBN. He has been incapable of facing the truth. And what that means is that this government inherited not just the financial mess but also a company that failed to make inroads in improving broadband services in Australia. The NBN has not just failed in the rollout of fibre, with less than three per cent of premises connected after six years of Labor. There is also the interim satellite scheme, where $351 million has been spent delivering dial-up speeds. Labor's handling of the NBN is being revealed progressively as a financial scandal, as we know, because of the billions wasted, and as a political scandal because of the misrepresentation by those opposite before the last election.

As the various reviews and audits come out, more will be revealed. But what is clear is that the NBN scandal under Senator Conroy dwarfs the likes of the State Bank debacle in Victoria, the Bank of South Australia— (Time expired)