Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is directed to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Coonan. As the minister is aware, the continuation of reliable mobile phone coverage is an extremely important issue for regional and rural Australians. Will the minister please advise the Senate of any government action to protect those living and working in regional and rural Australia from the potential for a premature closure of the CDMA network before the Next G network provides at least as good coverage and services?

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

I thank Senator Ronaldson for the question and for his interest in regional and rural telecommunication services and, in particular, the important issue of the closure of the CDMA network. Since announcing its intention to construction the Next G network, Telstra has given public assurances that the CDMA network will continue to operate until the Next G network provides at least as good coverage and services. The government has heard loud and clear the concerns from regional and rural Australia about the problems currently being experienced with the Next G network. After hearing those concerns, I issued Telstra with a draft licence condition that would, if made, require Telstra to keep the CDMA network in operation until the Next G network provided at least as good coverage and services. In accordance with the legislative requirements, Telstra was given 30 days to consider the draft licence condition. Disappointingly, however, before I had a chance to fully consider Telstra’s submission on the draft, it commenced civil action in an attempt to prevent a final decision being made to protect rural and regional Australians from the network being shut down until there was equivalent or better coverage.

This is a very important matter for rural and regional consumers and they deserve better than to be left hanging while Telstra subjects them to a time-consuming, costly and pointless legal dispute. Accordingly, last week I authorised the Attorney-General, the Hon. Phillip Ruddock, to consider the matter and, if warranted, to make the decision in relation to the draft licence condition. I was today advised that the Attorney has in fact made the decision to vary the conditions of Telstra’s carrier licence to protect users in the transition from CDMA to Next G.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh my goodness, how humiliating!

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

Importantly, it means that regional and rural Australians can be assured that the CDMA network—

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are so incompetent someone else had to do it!

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

will not be switched off until Telstra makes good its promise that the Next G network provides at least as good coverage and services. However, regional and rural Australians will be aware of the deafening silence that came from Mr Rudd and the Labor Party in this most important matter—

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are incompetent!

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

that affects those in rural and regional Australia.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Go on, colleagues. Ask her why Phillip Ruddock made the decision and not her!

Alan Ferguson (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Conroy!

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

Not even a task force, not even an inquiry, nothing—deafening silence. So afraid were the Labor Party to interrupt their cosy little relationship with Telstra—

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ask her why Ruddock—

Alan Ferguson (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Coonan, you will resume your seat. Senator Conroy, I have consistently asked you to stop interjecting! The Senate will come to order.

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

I was in the process of saying that so afraid were the Labor Party to interrupt their cosy little relationship with Telstra that they could not even raise a whimper of support for the protection of rural and regional Australians. Mr Rudd and his union mates should stand condemned today for their abject failure to stand up for consumers around Australia when it comes to mobile phone coverage. In contrast, the government makes no apologies for putting consumers first when considering the regulation of Australia’s telecommunications industry.

The government understands that good mobile coverage is not an optional extra; it is vitally important. People living in regional and rural Australia can be absolutely assured that this government will continue to stand up for their interests and deliver them the services they need and want.

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer the minister to her discussions about premature closure of networks. I was wondering whether the minister could tell the Senate what the implications were of the closure of the analog network by this government following the inactivity of the Australian Labor Party when last in government.

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

I thank Senator Ronaldson for his supplementary question. Of course, we all remember the Labor Party’s seminal neglect of rural and regional Australia.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I ask you to rule—

Alan Ferguson (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Wait until I call you. I cannot hear what you are saying.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask you to rule this question out of order as this decision was made by Minister Ruddock because Senator Coonan had to embarrassingly pass it across to Minister Ruddock to make these decisions because of her own incompetence. The question is out of order and it should be directed to the minister in the other chamber.

Alan Ferguson (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! You are now debating the issue. There is no point of order.

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

As those listening to this broadcast will know, the Labor Party has a long record of seminal neglect in looking after rural and regional Australia. It will not stand up for rural and regional Australians, whether it is delivering them broadband or delivering them mobile phones. We all know that the Labor Party is hand in glove with Telstra. It will ride roughshod over consumers in rural and regional Australia and it will continue this neglect as long as it suits its interests, which is so long as the Labor Party is in cahoots with Telstra.