Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications, if he is here. I refer to an article in the Australian Financial Review where the minister confirmed that he owns a yacht with the person in charge of the NBN's strategic review, which will be released by the minister tomorrow. My question to the minister—if he were here—is: given this fact, how can we believe anything that this report says?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sure that the Minister for Communications will be able to respond very effectively to the matters raised. But what the Labor Party always need to remember when they are talking about the NBN is their failure to deliver on any of the commitments they have made in relation to high-speed broadband in this country.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order, Madam Speaker. I appreciate the situation that the Acting Prime Minister finds himself in, but if he needs to—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is the point of order?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is, as you used to raise, Madam Speaker, if he does not know the answer he should sit down. The question can be re-asked now that the minister has turned up for work.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order.

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

JB Rousselot and I are very flattered to learn that the opposition regards our ancient couta boat as a yacht. It was built in 1923, and it is, in fact, the same age as my father-in-law, who insists, however, that he has more of his original parts then does the boat. JB Rousselot has done an outstanding job in heading the transformation and review at the NBN Co., and I would have thought that the honourable members opposite would have had a little bit more class than to sink to the character assassination practised by Senator Conroy in the Senate committee. It is a low effort to impugn JB Rousselot's ability.

Unlike Mike Kaiser, who was employed by the Labor Party at the NBN Co., JB Rousselot is, in fact, qualified to work at a telco. He has worked in telecommunications for over a decade. He is an engineer. He has a degree from one of the oldest engineering schools in the world, the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees—which, as Mr Ripoll would understand is a school of bridges and roads—which was founded by the King of France, Louis XVI. He is a highly qualified individual, and the best that the Labor Party can do is combine with Senator Conroy in a desperate effort to smear the work that is being done on the strategic review. The truth is that the Labor Party have misled, spun and deceived on broadband for four years. They know that there has been an objective review undertaken by KordaMentha, Deloitte, Boston Consulting Group and leading executives at the NBN Co., and the shadow Attorney-General does not want you to—

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, had you given me the call, I would have raised a point of order on relevance. The minister strayed well beyond the question, which was about his conflict of interest.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat.

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

Tomorrow we will see the truth about the NBN. The Labor Party do not want to hear it. They do not want to know how many billions of dollars they have wasted. They do not want to know how many falsehoods they have told. They do not want to know about how distorted a reality they still live in on this great project. The truth will out, and it will be out tomorrow. (Time expired)