Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications. What impact has waste in the NBN had on the debt burden faced by all Australians? How will the government deliver the NBN sooner and more affordably?

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

I thank the honourable member for his question. As at the date of the election, $6½ billion had been borrowed by the Commonwealth and put into the NBN to deliver a service to less than three per cent. The project was less than three per cent complete. The Labor Party's approach to the NBN is all on the same level as its approach to the budget—denial of reality. At the time they lost office, they said that this project was on time and on budget. Every single forecast, every single target had been missed. It was running way behind time, way behind forecast and way over budget. The strategic review which was published in December, an independent piece of work, demonstrated that the Labor NBN, had they been allowed to continue, would have cost peak funding and the total amount it would have cost, the most money—$73 billion. That was a hit on the taxpayer. That is all money that had to be provided or serviced or guaranteed in some way by the taxpayer.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We had this same problem yesterday. The minister knows—

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

Just get to the point of order.

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

that he has to be directly relevant to the question and not talk about the last government—talk about this government! What this government is doing!

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

There is no point of order. The member will resume his seat. The minister has the call.

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

We certainly did have the same problem yesterday, and I suspect every day that the honourable member is present in the chamber.

The reality is this: this denial of the facts and denial of the truth has bedevilled the Labor Party's approach to business, to the budget, to the NBN and to every aspect of its administration. One of the things that we have been criticised for as we have endeavoured to sort out this matter, is that we have taken down the Labor Party's maps, which Stephen Conroy, in a sort of SIM city-type of parallel universe had been covering with green blotches to suggest that the NBN was rolling out at a massive pace.

We have been criticised for—

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is just simply for members of the other place to be referred to by their proper titles.

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

The minister has the call and will refer to members by their proper titles.

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

We have been criticised for telling the truth about the progress of the NBN. Labor members have said, 'You've taken these green blotches off the map, and Senator Conroy has been so upset!' I mean, he is the shadow minister for Defence, but it seems that the only thing he is defending is himself as far as I can see.

Of course, the remarkable thing in terms of reality denial in this area is that we have the member for Blaxland and the member for Greenway—surely the Laurel and Hardy of telecommunications—who have been there, constantly complaining about—

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I think we have had enough 'Turnbulldust' for one day. I think you should sit this member down.

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

The member will resume his seat. The minister has the call.

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

They are supposed to be responsible for broadband policy. Well, we never hear from them—never get a question! Only Senator Conroy is to be heard.