Senator MACKAY —My question is directed to the Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts. Minister, do you stand by the commitment you gave in order to secure the one-third sale of Telstra that an extra 170 jobs would be created in Tasmania? How do you explain that, prior to the Telstra sale, the full-time staffing level in Tasmania was around 1,500 and that, according to Telstra's own forecast for full-time staff in Tasmania, the staffing level will be around 1,340 by June 1998?

Senator ALSTON (Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts) —I do not have any figures off the top of my head, nor do I—

Opposition senators —Ha, ha!

Senator ALSTON —Well you are asking me to explain some figure that you say Telstra has—

Senator Schacht —It was your promise.

The PRESIDENT —Senator Schacht, cease interjecting.

Senator ALSTON —You are asking me about some Telstra prediction of 1,340 jobs. I do not know what that is about. If you want me to find out about it, I will, and I will get back to you.

Senator MACKAY —Madam President, I ask a supplementary question. The commitment was actually given by you, Minister. Further, isn't it true that, of these 170 jobs, you gave a specific commitment of 30 additional Tasmanian jobs in network construction dealing with the provision of high-tech services to rural areas, with the expectation that these jobs would continue into 1998-99? I quote from your own media release of 5 December 1996, where you said, `As part of Telstra's Australia-wide plan to speed up network modernisation by December 1997, an additional 30 jobs in Tasmania will be created.' Given that these jobs were to be created by December 1997, can you inform us of the progress of this specific commitment of yours?

Senator ALSTON (Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts) —I think if you read the release, you will find that we were in fact repeating what Telstra had informed us. I am not in a position—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator ALSTON —If you think I can make promises on behalf of Telstra, you have another think coming. The board and management of Telstra regard themselves as being not simply the lackeys of government. What we did was that we had discussions with Telstra about their intentions. Indeed, what you said in that supplementary question was that there was an expectation that jobs would continue in 1998-99. That is not our expectation; that is Telstra's expectation. If you want me to tell you what Telstra's current assessment is, I will come back to you on that matter.