John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to add to what Senator Minchin has said. The minister used the word ‘outrageous’. I am going to use the word ‘outrageous’ too. The minister knows full well that that $2 billion was set aside for the future proofing of rural and regional communications. That is what it was put away for in the bank, to earn interest—to keep those services up in rural and regional areas. I find it appalling that the government now want to withdraw that money. They knew what it was put aside for. They knew the previous government put it there. I know full well that people like John Anderson argued very hard, when it came to the debate on the full sale of Telstra, that this money should be put aside for the future of those country communities, and I think it is deplorable that you consider withdrawing it.