Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the diplomatic Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy! Was the decision to embark on a $43 billion fibre-to-the-home national broadband network an example of the 'contempt for the cabinet process' the minister recently said was endemic in the Rudd Labor government and the 'dysfunctional decision-making' that the Treasurer recently said marked the Rudd era?

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

I thank Senator Birmingham for his ongoing interest, albeit extremely superficial. Let me be very clear about this. I have answered questions like this before at some considerable length so I am happy to repeat them. The popularisation, by those opposite, that this was done on the back of an envelope on a plane could not be more wrong. It could not be more wrong.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order! When there is silence we will proceed.

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

Yes, the early discussions took place with Mr Rudd on a plane, as has been reported. But what is ignored by every one of those opposite is that there was then three months of extensive cabinet committee process.

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

Three months!

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

Three months. I lost count of—I could not even tell you off the top of my head—how many committee meetings we went to and how many times we discussed it. I lost count of the number of meetings. For those opposite to continue to perpetuate this myth just shows you how lazy they are and how they have no alternative policy.

We then commissioned the McKinsey report—$25 million—to demonstrate that the NBN could be a viable proposition. We then considered the McKinsey report at length and released it. This was a program that went through extensive consultation, extensive research and extensive reports to ensure that we got it right. Those opposite continue to cry crocodile tears for process when they do not have a policy. Mr Turnbull spoke six months ago—

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

I think Mr Turnbull knows a lot more about this than you do.

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

In your dreams! (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given the minister's defence of the NBN process, does he agree with the former Prime Minister Mr Rudd that the decisions on the NBN were examples of good cabinet processes under the Rudd government? If proper processes were followed for the biggest initiative in the minister's portfolio, how can the minister justify being so scathing of cabinet processes under Mr Rudd? Is the minister actually at one with Mr Rudd on this issue?

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

As I said, I lost count. Report after report after report was commissioned during those three months. Extensive consultation with a range of different government departments was sought. All of this information was sought and considered over many, many months. This process ensured the National Broadband Network could be delivered within the plans that we put forward.

Those opposite continue to have a $70 billion black hole, which does not even include their NBN commitments. You have a $16 billion NBN commitment before you have to compensate Telstra for taking over their copper under the fibre-to-the-node proposal that you currently have. You have $30 billion to add to your $70 billion before you can even stand up here with any credibility. (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister tell the Senate on which instance he is telling the truth. Is he telling the truth that cabinet decision making was dysfunctional and contemptuous under the Rudd government and that the NBN was dreamt up on the back of, or on both sides of, an envelope on a VIP plane? Or is he now telling us the truth—that he lost count of the number of meetings of the cabinet to decide on the NBN? Which one is it, Minister—contempt and dysfunction or meeting after meeting and that you and Mr Rudd are at one on this?

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

One of the problems you get when you let Senator Birmingham write his own questions on the run is that he actually then begins to verbal the minister across the chamber. He completely misrepresented my answer. He has completely tried to conflate two different statements and claim they are contradictory. Senator Birmingham should stick to doing what he is good at—detailed policy work.

You should not be trying to make up questions on the run, because you are just not any good at it. Stick to the detailed policy work in estimates, which you are pretty good at. You are much better than some of these clowns here. Some day you will get on the front bench and you will get a chance to have your own policy area.

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

Senator Conroy, address your comments through the chair.

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

Sorry, Mr President. Senator Birmingham deserves to be on the front bench, over there. When Mr Abbott does the next reshuffle—

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

Senator Conroy, resume your seat. When there is silence on both sides we will resume.

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

As I was saying, when the next reshuffle comes on that side, Senator Birmingham, you deserve a better chance than you are currently getting. Just because you supported Malcolm Turnbull is no reason for you to languish over there. (Time expired)

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. Can the minister please inform the Senate of any recently announced business retail-pricing plans for National Broadband Network services, what they mean for businesses and how they compare with existing ADSL products?

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 question. The small business sector got some very exciting news last week when it comes to the National Broadband Network. I am happy to advise the Senate that on Tuesday, 7 February Optus released its NBN business plans for the small to medium enterprise sector. Optus's small business plans are going to provide SMEs with a vastly superior product offering because they will be delivered over the NBN. Optus are also offering additional web based programs to assist SMEs get on line that are not included in their current ADSL plans. In Optus's business entry level plan, they are even providing double the download data from 50 gigabits to 100 gigabits when compared to their equivalent ADSL product—all delivered over a fibre network, significantly increasing the experience of business in speed and quality of service.

Despite the ongoing scare campaigns waged by the opposition—specifically the members for Bradfield and Wentworth—that the NBN would increase the cost of broadband for families and businesses, Optus's business plans are priced the same as their existing broadband prices over copper. That is right, Mr President—the same. They first claimed residential prices would be unaffordable, and that has been proven to be false, and now the business plans released by Optus confirm the opposition has no credibility whatsoever—none when it comes to NBN pricing. You at least understood that, Senator Birmingham, and you did not make a goose of yourself. This is a very exciting time to be a small business broadband customer in Australia.

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate whether any other NBN retail-pricing packages have been announced?

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

Again, I thank the senator for her question. Earlier today, Telstra launched their pricing and product services over the NBN. Telstra will offer a range of plans on the NBN's 25- and 100-megabit speed tiers with prices that, once again, are comparable to those Telstra offers today on their copper and HFC networks but with significant increases in speeds and quality of service. It is clear from Telstra's plans that they have confidence in the growing Australian demand for higher speeds and capacity. This demonstrates that the Australian telecommunications market recognises the reality that the coalition still refuses to acknowledge—that Australians require and deserve better quality broadband to help them engage with the digital economy. (Time expired)

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate what the new NBN retail products will mean for families and small businesses living in rural and regional Australia?

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

This means that for the first time businesses in rural and regional Australia will no longer be at a competitive disadvantage with their counterparts in metropolitan areas. The tyranny of distance will no longer be a barrier to running a successful business in regional and rural Australia. The NBN will allow families to access infrastructure at an equivalency of price and an equivalency of service.

But what do those opposite think we ought to do? They want to demolish the NBN, dig it up and abolish the uniform wholesale pricing that underpins price parity. Under the Liberals' plans, businesses and families across regional and rural Australia will end up paying more and getting less—paying more and getting less under your plans. There has been a lot of talk about leadership recently. It is about time the National Party started showing some on behalf of regional Australians. (Time expired)