Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian Greens will not be supporting this amendment although we are supportive of the position of ensuring that competition principles apply right through the sector, including to the allocation of 4G spectrum. My understanding, unfortunately, is that it is more for reasons of technology than competition policy that it is very difficult to carve up spectrum in this way, given the number of players who are likely to be active in each of the different markets. I also call on the minister, if he is able, to provide us with a fairly detailed explanation of how the government proposes to avoid the kinds of anticompetitive outcomes that I think this amendment is designed to address. We have similar concerns. I am not certain that technologically it is possible to cut up spectrum in the way that Senator Xenophon is proposing.