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. I refer the minister to statements provided by Optus to the Senate Select Committee on the National Broadband Network:

The cancellation of OPEL was a lost opportunity for Australian business and consumers, particularly in the bush. Almost 900,000 premises across rural and remote Australia were to have been delivered metro-equivalent services at metro-comparable prices. Many of those premises would have been receiving services now.

Minister, isn’t Optus right? And isn’t it the case that rural and regional Australia would have had much better broadband services under the OPEL contract than they have today or are likely to have for years to come under Labor’s flawed and much delayed NBN proposal?

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 ongoing interest in this issue. The evidence given last week by Optus reflected a view towards its project which was negotiated with the previous government. As has been discussed at length in this chamber and as has been discussed at length in Senate estimates—as Senator Minchin is aware—the contract with OPEL and the government was terminated on the basis that it ultimately did not provide the services that it offered. This was after rigorous examination. This was quite a clear situation. There is no question that the services could not be provided as contracted for.

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

OPEL are perfectly able, if they dispute this, to take legal action, Senator Minchin. It has been nearly a year—in fact, it has been more than a year. We are in a situation where the government is systematically working its way through the National Broadband Network process. Our ambition has always been to make an announcement at the end of March and we are consistently refusing to speculate on the outcome of that. Despite many opportunities, invitations and questions from not just Senator Minchin, but from Senator Birmingham and others, we will not be drawn on the conclusion and our announcement on the NBN. What I can say, though, is that Australians across Australia will be better off under Labor’s NBN plan than they would have been under the former government’s plan. Five capital cities get a superfast fibre network—that is what you were prepared to offer. (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. Given his illegitimate and unwarranted cancellation of the OPEL contract, will the minister guarantee that if the NBN ever does become a reality the first services delivered under the NBN will be to underserved rural and regional areas of Australia?

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

The entire premise of that question is false, so I am not sure how one can be relevant to a question whose premise is false. But let me be absolutely clear about this: key issues at the centre of negotiations and discussions are the timing, scope and direction of the rollout. That is something that I will again decline the opportunity to speculate on. I am not going to undermine the Commonwealth’s negotiating position on this matter, as with any other matter. The good news is, Senator Minchin, we are only weeks away from an announcement.

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

Weeks?

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

As I said, our ambition is the end of March, and it is now 10 March. So let us be clear: we will be in a position to make an announcement very soon, and then Senator Minchin will be able to ask all the questions he likes about the government’s announcement.

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. Given that the minister is again refusing to commit to deliver services to rural and regional areas first, when exactly will rural and regional Australia receive improved broadband services under Labor’s flawed NBN?

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

I thank you again. I think Senator Carr or Senator Wong made the point about what happens when you write a question before question time and do not adapt it as you get your answers. Let us be clear: OPEL was cancelled because it failed to meet its contractual obligations. It is that simple. We are in a situation where we will be making an announcement on the NBN process shortly.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Shortly?

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

As I said, in a few weeks. Our ambition has always been, as we have made clear, to make an announcement by the end of March. We will—

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

I appreciate that there is much interest on the other side, because those opposite—there are a few people; I look around the chamber and I see Senator Bushby with his computer out and Senator Joyce and Senator Ludlam—are all crying out for faster broadband. (Time expired)