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

The Prime Minister doesn't speak with any excitement on anything, unless, of course, he's giving a $17 billion tax cut to his mates and the big banks, and a $60 billion tax cut to multinationals and corporate Australia.

Mr Turnbull thought he would be the great savour of the NBN. Instead he's been a great disappointment. The NBN has turned into a shambles under this government, and, as we can see, there has been leaked report after leaked report. The lack of transparency in relation to the NBN and the denials and consternation of the NBN Co reflect the paranoia that has gripped the Turnbull government and the NBN infrastructure program. In fact, this would seem to be behind the times if I were to note the deterioration of this government. This government is in paralysis, and who can blame the Australian people for not listening to it anymore. You can only let someone down so many times before they switch off and stop listening.

Over the past few years, Labor has held NBN consultations with consumers and small businesses across the country. I can tell you that the Australian public is dismayed that the Turnbull government abandoned Labor's fibre-to-the-premises NBN under the false pretence that switching to a multitechnology mix would be faster and cheaper. The bungled installation of the NBN is costing local businesses in my home state of Tasmania, where Mr Turnbull made the callous decision to leave Tasmanian businesses and households off the map. Consequently, Tasmanians are still crying out for better NBN services so they're not left behind and can operate and take advantage of the digital economy. None of the Turnbull government's pledge of 1.5 million premises to be connected to the new fibre to the curb will be in Tasmania.