Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Can the minister inform the Senate why the government’s investment in the National Broadband Network and reforming telecommunications regulation is so critical to our future economic prosperity?

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

I thank Senator Wortley for her question. The NBN and the competition and consumer safeguards bill that we introduced last week represent fundamental microeconomic reform.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I cannot help but notice that Minister Conroy seems to be advertising something on his chest. I am just wondering whether that is parliamentary.

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

If he is advertising something he should not be, he knows that.

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

In its report Innovation: new thinking, new directions, which it has released just today, The Australian Industry Group says:

The rollout of a very high-speed National Broadband Network provides an unprecedented opportunity for Australian businesses to transform their innovation practice in terms of realising cost savings, productivity, extending market reach and introducing brand new types of products and services.

The AiG report went on to say:

Ubiquitous open access connectivity will provide real benefits in the short and medium term as supply chain interactions are optimised and new business to business and consumer markets become accessible. In the longer term, ubiquitous connectivity makes radical business model innovations possible for Australian businesses—

Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: the minister seems to be advertising Adidas. Given that the NBN is just being rolled out, why is he not advertising Nike—‘Just do it’?

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

Senator Fisher, that is not a point of order. Senator Conroy, you might do your coat up.

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

The AIG said:

In the longer term, ubiquitous connectivity makes radical business model innovations possible for Australian businesses through the creation of services and delivery models that do not yet exist.

The competition bill that we introduced last week supports the heads of agreement between NBN Co. and Telstra that was announced in June.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To exempt the NBN from the Trade Practices Act, Senator Conroy?

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

Why don’t you just read it, Senator Brandis, rather than shouting about it. The heads of agreement facilitates the structural separation of Telstra—the holy grail of telecommunications reform. Under the agreement, Telstra will migrate— (Time expired)

Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for his answer. Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the minister aware of any research that shows the benefits of high-speed broadband?

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

There are many studies that confirm that investment in high-speed fibre generates billions of dollars in economy-wide benefits. A 2009 Access Economics study found an increase in the net present value of gross domestic product of between $35 billion and $80 billion over 10 years from the benefits of high-speed broadband in the electricity, irrigation, health and transport industries. More recently, two reports identified specific benefits from teleworking and telehealth, emerging applications that both rely on ubiquitous high-speed broadband. Access Economics estimates benefits of telehealth to Australia of between $2 billion and $4 billion a year, and savings of at least $1.4 billion from teleworking, if just 10 per cent of the workforce—(time expired)

Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches to high-speed broadband?

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

I am aware of the many differences within those opposite to the issue of high-speed broadband. Following the election campaign, the Leader of the Opposition appointed Mr Turnbull to demolish the NBN.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: could you ask the minister if the reason he has that shirt on is that either he has lost a bet or he is worried about dribbling?

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

No point of order.

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

This morning, on ABC’s AM, Mr Turnbull said, ‘Look, my interest is not in bringing down the NBN or in demolishing the NBN.’ The Nationals also have a view. Senators Joyce and Nash said in April last year, following the NBN announcement, ‘How could we disagree with something that is quite evidently our idea?’ Senator Nash also said, ‘Rolling out fibre infrastructure across Australia will be like a glass Snowy.’ So who exactly is deciding the coalition’s policy on broadband? They are clearly a shambles. (Time expired)