Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I will answer the question if those opposite want to listen. As I have made crystal clear, NBN will be using the Telstra and Optus HFC network as is appropriate. I am not sure what it is that colleagues opposite are having a difficulty grasping, but I completely reject Senator McLucas' assertion that the approach this government is taking will be at greater cost to taxpayers than that which those opposite were going to pursue. Wrong! If the plan of those opposite were pursued, the NBN would be delivered nationwide much much further into the future and at much much greater cost to the taxpayer.