Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Now that it is clear that the government will break its promise to commence construction of its national broadband network by the end of 2008, when does the minister now forecast construction to commence?

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

I thank Senator Minchin for his renewed interest in the national broadband network. Those opposite have spent many months attempting to downplay the importance of the national broadband network. It is back to the future. Senator Minchin has decided that he does not want to do any hard policy work on the national broadband network. What he wants to do is go back to the easy road of just readopting the Howard government’s failed policy agenda. What the Rudd Labor government has been doing is systematically and methodically moving to implement Labor’s national broadband network election promise.

We have gathered the information necessary. That required legislation. We have issued a request for proposals so that we are able to have a truly competitive process—a truly competitive process which those opposite just are embarrassed by because of the many attempts that they made: 18 failed broadband plans in 11½ years. The Rudd government is systematically moving to deliver its national broadband plan.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

On Wednesday, as has already been indicated by interjections, the process will reach another point and bids will be received. We will then receive a report eight weeks after that from the expert panel. This is a panel that— (Time expired)

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Could the minister inform the Senate whether it was simply naivety or incompetence that led him to promise to start construction before the end of this year, or did the minister deliberately mislead the people of Australia?

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

I have already said at Senate estimates, Senator Minchin, when you have been there, I think, and when others have been there, that we had an ambitious target. But the RFP when it was issued made it quite clear that it was an indicative timetable. It is there in black and white.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time for debating is after question time.

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

It is a little embarrassing that nobody on the other side has actually read the RFP, so I heard interjections there saying, ‘Where did “indicative” come from?’ Well, it is written there in black and white. The fact that those opposite are too lazy to actually do the hard yards to try to come to understand the process is an indictment on them. But we made it quite clear when we issued the RFP that it was an indicative timetable. It required us to gather information that was critical. (Time expired)

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I note that, in relation to Labor promises, one has to read the fine print. Could the minister tell us whether he still believes that he can keep his promise of completing construction of his fibre-to-the-node or fibre-to-the-premises national broadband network to 98 per cent of Australian homes and businesses within five years?

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

I again thank Senator Minchin for his question, because it was only a few weeks ago in this very chamber that Senator Minchin fell for the old three-card trick of quoting a misreport in a newspaper to claim it was a 13-year build. He took eight years and five years and added them together for a 13-year build. Those opposite may think this national broadband network is never going to be built, as they are indicating, but this is a commitment that the Rudd government made. We said it was a five-year build. We said it would reach 98 per cent of Australians. That is absolutely clearly stated in the RFP. Those are the objectives that they are tendering against.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Minchin interjecting—

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

No, they did not. Do not misinterpret deliberately, Senator Minchin, what Telstra said. They have come out and corrected you, much to your embarrassment.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They said it cannot be done in five years.

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

Telstra came out and said the exact opposite. (Time expired)