Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Coonan. As the minister is aware, the delivery of broadband services is very important across Australia, especially in my home state of South Australia. Will the minister please update the Senate on government action to ensure all Australians enjoy access to broadband? Further, is the minister aware of any alternative policies?

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do thank Senator Birmingham for his question and recognise his ongoing commitment to the delivery of real broadband services for Australians. The Howard government has taken the tough decisions required to deliver fast broadband to all Australians, not only in South Australia but regardless of where they live. Delivering fast broadband to all sectors—to the universities, research organisations, businesses, farms and householders—is a national priority. Despite the sideshows being run in some quarters, we are getting on with the job of delivering high-speed broadband for consumers. Our broadband rollout is real and fully costed. We know exactly where it will cover. It is affordable, the contracts are signed and it will be available to 99 per cent of the population by July 2009.

The last time I looked, Labor’s so-called broadband alternative consisted of a six-month-old press release and nothing more. It is true that I have been calling on Labor to release essential detail about how, when, where and who in relation to building Labor’s network and what it will cost the hapless taxpayer. So imagine my excitement this morning when I heard Mr Rudd say that they have already indicated the design specifications for delivering their broadband plan. Labor, of course, have done no such thing. It is clear that either Mr Rudd is totally ignorant of what technical specifications are required or he is hiding the fact that Labor have no policy detail to release. But this really should not surprise anyone. Labor are clueless when it comes to actually making a decision or getting a job done.

At last count, Labor had announced, as Senator Minchin has said, no fewer than 67 new bureaucratic agencies and an astonishing 96 inquiries or reviews, 13 in my portfolio alone. Yesterday, not to be outdone by his colleagues—although he came late to the game—Senator Conroy announced yet another inquiry, this time an inquiry into the internet and costs of broadband access. The problem with Labor’s latest stunt is that the ACCC already do this job. They have done it for years and they are expert at it. By announcing its own process, Labor has made it crystal clear that part of its deal with Telstra is to cut the ACCC out of the picture. This is a great danger for consumers, who under the ACCC have seen retail telecommunication prices fall by over 26 per cent.

I will tell the Senate something else for free. I predict that Telstra will try to meddle in the upcoming election with one aim in mind: to get Labor into power and then demand that competitors be driven from the field. We all know that Telstra have John Utting, Labor’s pollster, on their payroll. So I say to Mr Trujillo, Dr Burgess and all the others who pass for Telstra executives: if you want to meddle in Australian politics, get it out in the open, stand for Labor preselection and actually bring it on—you had just better stand for Australian citizenship first. While Mr Rudd and his weak Labor team dither with inquiries, paralysed by inaction, this government will get on with the job of delivering Australian consumers the services they need and want.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Alan Ferguson (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind senators on my left that one of your colleagues is waiting to ask a question.