Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. As the Leader of the Opposition probably should be aware, the government has said consistently that there would be an inquiry on privatisation. At the stage that we thought circumstances were right for privatisation, we would need to fully inquire into the matter. In order to deal with these questions in the Senate, we have been happy to agree that there will be parliamentary oversight as well. The Leader of the Opposition has had many different positions on questions of parliamentary oversight. Some days he is in favour; some days he has not. But we have been happy to agree on the question of parliamentary oversight in this case.

I also say to the Leader of the Opposition that, on the question of the bill before the Senate, there remains a critical decision for him to make. He needs to decide whether or not to stand in the way of this profound microeconomic reform and structural separation in our telecommunications industry. He needs to decide whether he will agree with that profound microeconomic reform or once again play the role of wrecker. In the modern age, the Liberal Party takes pride in the fact that, when in opposition during the Hawke and Keating governments, they did not resist from the opposition benches waves of important reforms brought to this country by the Hawke and Keating governments in order to open up our economy. The Leader of the Opposition might do well to reflect on the heritage of the Liberal Party on these questions and get out of the way of this profoundly important microeconomic reform.

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