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

I want to ensure that we are on the same page, Senator Joyce. The bill includes provisions in proposed section 577A for the ACCC to scrutinise and approve the competitive impacts of the agreement between Telstra and the NBN Co. Specifically, the ACCC will consider the competitive impacts of the Telstra and NBN Co. arrangements as part of its scrutiny of Telstra’s structural separation undertaking. If the ACCC accepts the undertaking, then the bill authorises the entering into the agreement and associated conduct for the purposes of the trade practices law as set out in section 51 of the Trade Practices Act. This is entirely appropriate and it removes any need for a separate authorisation inquiry while still ensuring appropriate scrutiny of the arrangements between Telstra and the NBN Co. by the ACCC.