Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader (Tasmania)) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks to the Turnbull government's NBN shambles, a regional consumer will be paying 44 per cent more than someone in the city. There's one rule for Mr Turnbull in his Point Piper mansion and another for rural and regional consumers. At the same time as energy prices are going up and cost-of-living pressures are increasing, a broadband price hike by this government is the last thing people in regional Australia want to have to deal with. Regional Australians and regional businesses should not have to pick up the bill for the mess created by this Turnbull government.

Now I'll turn to the broadband levy currently before the Senate. The introduction of this poorly designed levy is highly regrettable, but Labor will not be opposing it outright, given the economic deterioration of the government's multitechnology mix. Rather, Labor will be seeking an amendment to the bill to reduce the scope and impact of it. This will ensure it is fairer, more targeted and better aligned with the sensible policy objectives. I recall years ago when Mr Turnbull talked about the NBN like an excited child at Christmas. He doesn't do that anymore. In fact he doesn't speak with any excitement on anything anymore, unless, of course, it's about giving a $17 billion tax cut—

Opposition senators interjecting—