Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Hansard source

Not that I have had the conversation with Senator Conroy, but I hear around the traps that Senator Conroy would not mind a change in the leadership of the Labor Party. My point is that this carbon tax, which we were promised we would not have, will add to the cost of living for every single Australian. The cost of power, electricity, gas and fuel will go up. Already Australians are struggling with additional costs of living. Yet, here is Senator Conroy playing his part in increasing the cost of living on Australians by allowing this situation to develop in the laying of fibre and infrastructure in a greenfield site. Notwithstanding that I have facetiously given the answer to my colleagues because the minister will not, let me ask the minister: was my answer correct? Minister, if you say, 'No, it wasn't,' can you then explain to us why any greenfield developer would pay for the installation of infrastructure to a private contractor when he can get it free from NBN Co?

I see Senator Ludlam, who is another person with an interest in this area, is in the chamber. If the minister is incapable of answering the question or is continuing his sulks and is not going to answer, perhaps I could ask Senator Ludlam, who is in coalition with the Labor Party—the Greens Party-Labor Party coalition. If Senator Conroy refuses to answer perhaps Senator Ludlam could assist the chamber. If I am wrong in my assumptions in the two questions I have answered, perhaps Senator Ludlam may be able to take the minister's role. I think he would be a lot better. He would know a lot more about it. That is not mindless flattery either, Senator Ludlam. I do not agree with you on much but I do recognise that you have an interest and an understanding of how this works. I may well be wrong with my answer but I do not think so. I think I understood the evidence. If I am wrong perhaps you could tell me, if the minister cannot, whether the two options the greenfield developer has are: NBN for free; private contractor you pay for? If that is the case, why would any greenfield developer go with a private contractor?

Perhaps I can have a third question. Does this mean that those in the private contracting business, those half a dozen people who gave evidence to the inquiry, will go out of business? My question is to the minister. If he is not capable, does not want or is still having some personal problems in giving an answer, then perhaps Senator Ludlam might be able to assist me in confirmation of what his Labor-Greens coalition alliance is doing on this. If we cannot get answers from them, then we might have to look further afield.