Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Can the minister inform the Senate about the government’s reforms to telecommunications regulation? Can he outline the benefits of the government’s reform package that are expected to be brought to Australian consumers and businesses?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I am going to have to ask you to repeat the question. If people want to debate these issues, the time for both sides is at the end of question time. I am entitled to hear the questioner.

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will start my question again. Can the minister inform the Senate about the government’s reforms to telecommunications sector regulation? Can he outline the benefits the government’s reform package is expected to bring to Australian consumers and businesses?

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

I thank Senator Lundy for her question and her ongoing interest in this area. In April the Rudd government embarked upon an ambitious program to fundamentally transform Australia’s telecommunications industry in the interests of all Australians. The National Broadband Network will be the largest nation-building investment in Australia’s history. Today the Rudd government is taking the next step in revolutionising Australia’s communications landscape by delivering long overdue reform of the telecommunications sector. These historic reforms will ensure the delivery of high-quality services to Australian businesses and consumers. As the government proceeds with the rollout of the National Broadband Network, these reforms are critical to ensuring that our communications services operate effectively and efficiently in Australia’s long-term national interest.

Contrary to the views put by Senator Minchin, today’s reforms address structural problems in the marketplace while giving Telstra flexibility to choose its future path. If only those opposite when they had their chance had listened to Senator Coonan when she was minister or had listened to Senator Nash or Senator Joyce when they put forward some courageous policy proposals. But no, Senator Minchin had the dead hand of the Howard government under his control and he would not listen to Senator Coonan, he would not listen to Senator Nash and he would not listen to Senator Joyce. (Time expired)

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! When there is order on both sides I will proceed. There is time for debating this issue at the end of question time.

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate why it is necessary to implement regulatory reform of the telecommunications sector in Australia now? What are the specific challenges confronting the telecommunications sector and how do the government’s proposed reforms address those challenges?

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

While significant structural reform has occurred in other key infrastructure industries, previous governments have failed to undertake necessary structural microeconomic reform in telecommunications. Since 1997, in other regulated sectors including aviation and energy, there have been just three access disputes. Over the same period in the telecommunications sector, there have been more than 150 access disputes. The measures in this legislation will finally correct the mistakes of the past. They will address the legacy left by those opposite who privatised Telstra without implementing necessary reforms and left it as one of the most highly integrated telecommunications companies in the world.

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister outline any alternative policies that might address the unique challenges and opportunities brought about by recent developments in the telecommunications sector, including the government’s decision to build a high-speed, fibre-to-the-premises national broadband network?

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

I would love to be able to contrast this government’s historic policies with alternatives put forward by those opposite.

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There aren’t any.

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

You guessed it, Senator Sherry, there aren’t any. I do, though, congratulate Senator Minchin on an important milestone that he has reached today—and I believe it could be even higher since question time started: 150 media releases since he took on the shadow communications portfolio 51 weeks ago today. That is 150 media releases in 357 days and not one of them has flirted with a policy. That is a lot of time at the crease without troubling the scorer. That milestone is the sole portfolio achievement of an opposition bereft of communication policies. (Time expired)