Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind her that on 18 January Telstra warned the ACCC that NBN's pricing plans will 'translate into higher retail price increases for end users'. On the same day, Optus told the ACCC that the cost of using Labor's NBN will soar by 58 per cent over the next decade if current usage trends continue. Does the Prime Minister stand by her claim of 20 December 2010 that the NBN will result in 'wholesale prices coming down over time in real and in nominal terms'?

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

I thank the member for Wentworth for his question, and I particularly thank him for it on a day when we are in a position to announce faster broadband for regional and remote Australia. I would remind the member for Wentworth that, as we roll out the National Broadband Network, we are delivering on our commitment of uniform national wholesale pricing for broadband services. The member for Wentworth should acknowledge that this means that people around the country—regional Queensland, to take one good example—will pay the same for NBN services as people in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. What this of course—

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I have asked a very straightforward question about retail prices for the NBN, and the Prime Minister is not answering it; she is avoiding it.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Wentworth will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I was addressing the question of pricing on the NBN and pointing out to the member for Wentworth the uniform national wholesale pricing that we are committed to delivering. Then, off this platform, of course, retail providers can compete and, as the member for Wentworth well knows, there are very competitively priced packages available to people in areas where we have rolled out the National Broadband Network. The member for Wentworth, in terms of this debate, really needs to explain to Australian consumers and people who have got the NBN or who are anxiously awaiting the delivery of the NBN what the alternative to the National Broadband Network is from the point of view of the opposition. As I understand it, they have announced 22 failed broadband plans and are now committed to ripping up services and prejudicing the ability of Australians and the Australian economy to get the jobs and opportunities of the future. So I say to the member for Wentworth: the National Broadband Network will continue to roll out with the wholesale pricing commitment that we have given and with the retail competitiveness that we are already seeing.