Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is directed to Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Can the minister explain to the Senate how the member for Stirling, Mr Keenan, was able to have an advertisement in local newspapers promoting Australia Connected published on Tuesday of this week, the same day as the official launch? Was there a leak of the minister’s plans from her office or was it the case that, as a member in a marginal seat, one of those listed in the 40 taken to cabinet, Mr Keenan was provided with advance information as part of the government’s political fix? Doesn’t this again confirm that the minister’s announcement is much more about short-term politics than about the long-term communications needs of this country?

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said earlier, this policy has been in prospect and being developed for eight months and it is fully costed. There are coverage maps for the whole of Australia and it is a policy that has been carefully developed. Under no circumstances could it be said that this policy has been developed in response to either the Labor Party or the forthcoming election. This has been in prospect since the supplementary portfolio budget statements of September 2005. How can you conflate a date back in 2005 to some urgent outcome in 2007? That is seriously overstating the case. The important thing about the so-called leaked email is that what it referred to was a series of maps that were being prepared, and those broadband coverage maps were prepared and released in their final form to all MPs on the day of the announcement. I stand by that—they were released on the day of the announcement. That is not to say that certain members may have made some sort of submission to the office; I will have to take that on notice.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, if you do not want me to take it on notice I will withdraw that offer. What I will say is what I know, and that is that all coverage maps, irrespective of whether they were Liberal, Labor, National or Independent, were released at the same time yesterday after the announcement.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I note that the minister did not actually answer the question. I asked when the government MPs on the list of 40 considered by cabinet were first advised. Is it the fact that they received information prior to the maps being distributed yesterday? If they were not advised earlier, how could the member for Stirling have got his advertisement into the papers today? Can the minister advise whether or not the ad was drafted by the government members secretariat on behalf of those members? Isn’t it the case that you didn’t release the information yesterday but you had put in a political campaign well before the announcement was made?

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Evans is completely wrong about that. The maps in their final form and all the details of the releases were released after the announcement was made yesterday.