Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for his answer. I understand that Free TV’s position was, ‘Don’t do the switch until you get to a 95 per cent threshold’, or something like that. That is clearly absurd. I agree with the minister that that would clearly sabotage the process, and I understand that. But there are two parts to this amendment. The first part relates to the minimum analog readiness criteria. Does not the minister have a fair degree of room in the context of those criteria if the criteria include a process of consultation, particularly in remote or regional areas, so that you still have that fair degree of flexibility? The second part, which I have strong views on, is the reports of transmission black spots. That does not impede what the minister is concerned about, because if there are points of transmission black spots, then that is a degree of accountability in terms of what is happening. Perhaps that is a question for the shadow minister, Senator Minchin. You say that it looks benign; if it looks benign I usually work on the premise that it is benign—