Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Whether 98 per cent coverage is achievable, the competitive tension in the government’s NBN process will maximise coverage outcomes. At the end of the day, we are happy to be judged on what the winning proposal delivers, because it is the clearly stated election commitment to deliver 98 per cent. So I am not going to be drawn into any individual commentary on individual tenders. I am not going to be drawn into individual commentary on experts who know far more about it than most of those opposite, like Paul Budde. I am not going to be drawn into commenting on the process.

In contrast, the Howard government was happy to accept an FTTN network that covered only—quoting here directly—the capital cities— (Time expired)