Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Can the minister please inform the Senate of any recently announced retail-pricing plans for National Broadband Network services and how they compare with existing ADSL pricing?

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

I thank the senator for her ongoing interest in the National Broadband Network. I am pleased to inform the Senate that, just yesterday, a new era of competition was again highlighted as Optus revealed its NBN pricing. Optus's prices, like those of Exetel, Primus and iiNet, and Internode before them, prove again that superfast broadband services offered over the NBN will at the very least be comparable with today's broadband prices, with the added benefit of significant increases in speed and quality of services—

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

I am sure that the member for Bradfield, in the other place, who is a former Optus executive, has also noticed. I wonder whether he will attempt to smear his former employer, as he pathetically attacked Exetel and Dodo when they released their plans—$34.50, Senator Macdonald. Thirty-four dollars fifty—

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

Senator Conroy, address your comments only to the chair—

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

My apologies, Mr President—

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

and not to individuals themselves—

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

I am pleased—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Senator Conroy, you might just resume your seat, because when there is silence we will proceed. Senator Conroy.

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

I am pleased to inform the Senate that the price of Optus's 25-megabit stand-alone broadband plan is exactly what it is charging today for its broadband over the copper network. In fact, if customers choose to bundle services, the 12-megabit entry-level NBN product from Optus can be had for under $40 a month. I wait with bated breath to see exactly whether Mr Fletcher will attack Optus for being too expensive or too cheap, because he cannot make up his mind. He cannot make up his mind; it is just embarrassing, but it typifies the approach taken by those opposite. We now have multiple retail service providers competing, for the first time, on a level playing field. (Time expired)

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate of any further independent analysis of broadband plans and pricing, comparing existing NBN retail products with existing copper based ADSL2+ services?

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

Just last month, WhistleOut, an independent comparison website, released its own analysis of NBN prices versus existing ADSL2+ prices, and its analysis found that users could pay up to 18 per cent less for an entry-level 12-megabit-down, one-megabit-up service with a 50-gigabit download capacity than they currently pay for the same ADSL2+ service—18 per cent less. WhistleOut also expressed the view:

… the NBN will democratise high-speed internet access so that users will finally be getting what they pay for.

A rational person would expect the opposition to support this and even apologise for the baseless fear and smear campaigns they have been running. But I call on the National Party— (Time expired)

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for that answer. Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister aware of any statements in support of the Labor government's National Broadband Network?

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 such supporting statements, and they came from none other than the National Party. They came from the Nationals in a press release on the NBN announcement on 7 April 2009. And do you know what the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate entitled their press release, Mr President? Let me tell you: they called it 'The Nationals' broadband network'! Why would they call it that? Because they knew it was a great deal for regional Australia. We are delivering a uniform wholesale price, we are delivering fibre to over 70 per cent of homes and businesses in regional Australia and we are delivering a universal minimum standard of 12-meg down, which is significantly better than many people receive in metropolitan areas today. What was that quote from Senator Joyce? It was:

"How could we disagree with something that is quite evidently our idea," he said.

(Time expired)