Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy President. The Telstra sale document that we are talking about really highlights what Telstra has done in the broadband area, but what more could have been done for Queensland had the OPEL contract gone ahead? It would have been up and running by now. While Senator Arbib and others do not like me saying this, what I am distressed about is that the Queensland government, which should be looking after Queenslanders, has not lifted a finger to try to make sure that the national broadband network—the OPEL contract, which would have provided that by now—is going ahead. I am embarrassed, I am stressed as a Queenslander, that we have not had the sort of leadership from our state government, the sort of get in there and have a go, fighting Premier who will stand up for Queensland. We have not had that.

Question agreed to.