Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move general business notice of motion No. 1040, and that it be determined without amendment or debate.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving general business notice of motion No. 1040, and that it be determined without amendment or debate.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion to suspend standing orders moved by Senator Gallagher be agreed to, which requires an absolute majority.

Question agreed to.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senators Pratt, Kitching and Hanson, I move general business notice of motion No. 1040:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

  (i) between July 2020 and December 2020, NBN Co paid out $78 million in corporate bonuses with taxpayer money,

  (ii) the 2018 NBN corporate plan set a revenue target of $4.9 billion for financial year 2020; NBN Co achieved $3.8 billion,

  (iii) the 2018 NBN corporate plan set an activations target of 8.1 million by financial year 2020; NBN Co achieved 7.3 million,

  (iv) the 2018 NBN corporate plan forecast the multi-technology NBN would cost $49 billion; the forecast cost is now $57 billion,

  (v) the Prime Minister effectively sacked Ms Holgate on the floor of Parliament for spending $20,000 on Cartier watches in 2018, but had no issues with NBN Co paying out $78 million in corporate bonuses during a recession, and

  (vi) NBN Co recently refused to answer 15 questions on notice from the Senate about their finances, despite having published this information previously;

(b) considers the $78 million in NBN corporate bonuses during the COVID-19 recession to be excessive, unreasonable and lacking in justification;

(c) affirms its commitment to ensuring there is appropriate transparency over how taxpayer money is spent on the NBN; and

(d) calls on the Minister for Communications and NBN Chairman to reign in excessive spending and waste at NBN Co.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I table a statement from the government on our position on this motion.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 1040 be agreed to.