Minchin a 'complete Luddite': Conroy

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 11:51

IT Industry - Strategy

Stephen Conroy, Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, has branded his Opposition counterpart "a complete Luddite." The Opposition continues to delay telecommunications reform legislation.

Conroy described the Opposition's decision to continue to block the telecommunications legislation as "a real blow for Australian consumers."

Speaking at a doorstop media conference at Australian Parliament House, Conroy said the Government still intended to pass the legislation before the end of the year. "There is no reason whatsoever to delay," he asserted.

"I know there's been a majority of focus around the Telstra and the structural separation, voluntary separation argument. But this bill is a substantive piece of consumer legislation that dramatically strengthens consumer protections; and we won't be backing down on that," he added.

Shadow Minister Nick Minchin came in for particular criticism: "Nick Minchin is being exposed for being a complete Luddite," said the Minister.

"They are a rabble, and Nick Minchin and Malcolm Turnbull should get their act together and make a decision. Do you think they're going to support this or they're not going to support these consumer protections and improvements in legislation in the regulatory framework."

For his part, Minchin said "This legislation is predominantly about the Government trying to force Telstra and its 1.4 million shareholders to prop up Labor's $A43 billion NBN project."

What else did the squabbling pollies say? See page 2.