Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the chamber. Leave is sought ultimately to put the motion to refer, to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications, the National Broadband Network for inquiry, commencing as soon as that committee so wishes and reporting during August next year—designed to dovetail with the joint parliamentary committee that the Prime Minister seems to have promised Senator Xenophon.

The trouble for Senator Xenophon and his deal is that all that he has is a letter from the Prime Minister about the joint parliamentary committee. And all that that letter does is to make it very clear that the joint parliamentary committee is not established yet—there is nothing from the House establishing it. It will have a majority of government members, leaving the opposition and Independent members to split the spoils. Government members will decide the terms of reference. It will not start work until July next year. It will be able to hear from members of parliament, so it will become a parade ground for government members peddling the government’s NBN propaganda.

In an effort to cover the rear, I understand that Minister Wong has been deep in discussions with the Independents and is attempting to reassure them that something will be done to this committee—