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

Recently, Mr Turnbull called for the abolition of cross-subsidies for the bush with regard to the delivery of broadband services. I wonder just how many people on the other side of the chamber know about this. But that is what he has called for. He also went on to call for the introduction of vouchers for families in the bush—that's right: vouchers!

I am keen to find out whether the Nationals support treating rural and regional Australians as second-class citizens. It was not so many years ago that the Queensland Nationals, at one of their state conferences—August 2005, I believe—passed a resolution for the implementation of their five-pillar telecommunications policy. And if we look to No. 4, what does it call for? It calls for the maintenance of the price averaging basis for the cost of all new telecommunications and satellite internet connections to ensure that all Australians are charged the same basic price for maintenance and new conditions. (Time expired)