Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I am too generous a soul! Maybe I have to make up for some of the other souls in this place, Senator Conroy. I think Senator Joyce’s interjection was helpful. He said that openly in terms of the whole issue of having the wholesale and retail arms together. Senator Joyce understands that better than most, I think, and he is to be commended for that. I know about his concerns for telecommunications in the bush.

I cannot support this amendment. I am concerned that it would stymie the process. It could make it unworkable. We need to consider that Telstra shareholders need to approve this by June. That is a key date in relation to this, although I would have thought that what the government is offering is a significant sweetener. I understand the policy dilemmas that Senator Conroy had in relation to this. He has to unscramble the egg. When it comes to unscrambling this legislative egg, if he pulls this off it will be a Master Chef feat. That is what the dilemma is and, therefore, for those reasons I cannot support this amendment. If Senator Birmingham has any further thoughts in relation to that I would be grateful to hear from him.