Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

I commend Senator Stephens on asking a supplementary question and for nominating dial-up broadband, or dial-up internet, as such a terrible technology, because about two years ago a Senate committee, dominated by the Labor Party, was suggesting that this government should mandate dial-up right across the country at a cost of $5 billion. This is the Labor Party picking technologies and not having a clue what they are talking about. If taking $5 billion to roll out something across Australia sounds familiar, then it is. The Labor Party will make another mistake with a fibre rollout, as they did in suggesting mandatory dial-up for the internet. The important point about this debate is that all Australians deserve a service, not just the few whom the Labor Party favour.