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

Yes, and Mike Kaiser. They have an enormous challenge before them now: to finalise the negotiations with Telstra and go forward.

I thank my colleagues Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, two prime ministers who backed me all the way in this venture. I thank Lindsay Tanner, who always believed, and Senator Penny Wong, who has taken on that mantle, and all of their staff who have worked on this bill over the years. I thank my close friend Wayne Swan, who has supported me at all times; the head of Treasury, Ken Henry, a believer who has always championed economic reform in this country; the head of Finance, David Tune; and the head of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Terry Moran. All have worked on this for endless hours. Finally and importantly, I thank my current and former staff, who have been absolute troopers in persevering in the face of enormous pressure—publicly and privately—to help deliver this reform today.