Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

There is a pretty outrageous premise to that question. Indeed, I would like to draw the Senate’s attention to the outrageous remarks made by Mr Wayne Swan, the shadow Treasurer, who is giving financial advice to investors by saying they should not touch Telstra. If that is not financial advice then what is? He is the one running around saying they should not go anywhere near Telstra. What are they trying to do—talk down the sale? Is that their attitude? They have no regard for the taxpayers in this matter. They ignored taxpayers in 1999. They have already cost taxpayers $50 billion. Now they are trying to drive down the sale price, apparently, at the expense of taxpayers in T3. It is outrageous behaviour and they should tell Mr Swan to butt out of it.