Coalition seeks to gag Conroy, NBN debate

James Riley
Thursday, 18 November 2010 12:02

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

The Senate has demanded Communications Minister Stephen Conroy table further documents related to the National Broadband Network, including a complete version of the 'Red Book' departmental advice to the incoming government relating to the project.

South Australian senator Mary Jo Fisher's motion called for the unredacted Red Book advice, as well as all documentation related to the selection of the NBN Co's first release and second release sites, as well as copies of the set of principles around the enterprise bargaining agreements that the NBN Co has signed with unions on wages.

The motion called for the douments to be produced and tabled by Monday.

The motion was split into two parts. The first, dealing with the Red Book and NBN trial sites was passed with the support of the Greens. The second, which dealt with the enterprise bargaining arrangements and uniuon agreements was passed with the support of the independents.

Tasmania senator and Coalition Leader in the Senate Eric Abetz has now moved a motion seeking to halt consideration of any NBN-related matter - and gagging Senator Conroy from addressing the issue in the chamber at all - until all documentation requested by the Senate had been tabled.

Senator Abetz said the Government was already in defiance of the Ludlam/Birmingham motion passed yesterday calling for Senator Conroy to table the Government's formal response to the KPMG-McKinsey Implementation Study, as well as the NBN Co business plan.

"If that is not provided to the senate as required by a motion from Senator Ludlam and Senator Birmingham, then we as a Senate should be saying that we don't want to hear any further about the NBN until those foundational documents are provided to us," he said.

Arguing against the motion, Senator Conroy told the Senate the motion was designed only to delay the roll-out of the national fibre network.

"We've had to debate this exact content before," Senator Conroy . "We were told you can't debate any bill related to the National Broadband Network unless you give us the expert panel's report."

"Then it was you can't debate any NBN bills unless you give us the ACCC report. Then it was you can't debate any of the bills unless you give us the McKinsey report. And on and on and on," he said.

"How many times can you run the same line and still pretend you support better broadband?"

Key independent Nick Xenophon the slow-flow of information related to the NBN from governmentwas makingit difficult for NBN supporters in the Senate to maintain that support. But he has declined to support the Abetz motion.

"So far the information that we have received in the Senate related to the NBN has been about as reliable as dial-up," Senator Xenophon said.

"(But) we need to get on with the structural separation of Telstra, it has been bad for Australia and it has been bad for consumers."

Meanwhile, shadow communications minister Malcolm Turnbull has accused the Labor and the independents of abrogating their responsibility in voting against his private members bill that would have required a cost-benefit analysis of the NBN project be carried out by the Productivity Commission.

The National Broadband Network Financial Transparency Bill was defeated in the House by a single vote, with independents Bob Katter, Tony Windsor, Andrew Wilkie voting with Labor and the Greens Adam Bandt.

"By refusing to require the National Broadband Network to be scrutinized by the Productivity Commission, by a one vote majority the House of Representatives has voted down the best opportunity to find a cheaper, faster way of providing high-quality affordable broadband to all Australians," Mr Turnbull said.

"By voting against a bill requiring the NBN Co to release its financial projections and business plan, those members have failed in their duty to protect taxpayers' funds," he said.

"The Parliament's refusal to properly oversee the NBN, the largest infrastructure project in Australian history, is an irresponsible and unprecedented decision which will have ramifications for years to come."