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

Again, the reference that the good senator is drawing from my speech was not actually talking about the equipment that is to be installed in the home. My quote was not actually referring to that. But, to deal with the question I think you are trying to ask, the pricing involved in the National Broadband Network includes all of the relevant equipment necessary. Whether or not an individual chooses to install the connection and have it connected will be a function of whether the individual would like to have it. The Labor Party takes the view that this is an essential utility in the same way that the telephone, gas, electricity and water are, so we will provide the connection. It is then entirely in consumers’ hands whether they choose to take the next step. (Time expired)