Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I know those opposite think we live in a post-fact world. That is demonstrated in here every day of the week when it comes to basic facts about the economy, about levels of borrowing, about the IMF, about the NBN and about just about anything else. On this occasion they want to quote one report, but the evidence is contradicted by just about every other reputable report on the NBN that has been done around the world. I will quote someone that they like to quote occasionally, Mr Alan Kohler. He said:

Not only will the NBN not be a white elephant it will almost certainly prove to be a great investment. In fact, without wishing to get carried away … it could represent, on its own, a huge national savings plan. When it's finished the asset will be worth several times the government's investment of $27.5 billion.

End of story.

See this speech in context