Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister’s statement in 1999, at the time of T2, that Telstra shares were ‘an extremely good deal’ at $7.40. Now that the government is selling over two billion more shares at less than half this price, does it still regard Telstra shares as ‘an extremely good deal’, particularly for those who bought them for $7.40?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My understanding is that, between the making of that statement and now, there has been a change in the law which says that you cannot give financial advice without having a licence. As somebody who regards himself as a supporter of the rule of law and a sworn officer of a very honourable court in this country—and also a member of this parliament—I respect that law. In those circumstances, I am not going to offer a view, but what I will say is that I have followed reaction to the announcement I made in Hobart last Friday week. I know those who sit opposite—I do not include the member for Adelaide in this, but I am thinking rather of the spokesman on these matters on the front bench of the Labor Party—were sort of hoping and praying that certain things would happen. They have not happened, and aren’t they disappointed!

On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.