Senator CARR (2:23 PM) —My question without notice is to Senator Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. I ask: why did the minister deem it necessary for cabinet to examine maps showing the impact of the broadband policy on the government’s 40 most marginal seats, when it was discussed? Wasn’t it because the minister thought the cabinet would be more interested in the political impact of the announcement than it would be in what it actually delivered? Isn’t the government’s focus more about the next election than about the next generation? How could the minister have allowed this critical communications policy decision to degenerate into what the Adelaide Advertiser described today as ‘a naked political exercise’?

Senator COONAN (Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) —Thank you to Senator Carr for the question. The issue with the timing on the proposal is that it has been being worked on by the government for over eight months. The funding for this proposal was actually in the supplementary budget portfolio statement of September 2005, and it has been subject to a competitive grants process that started last year. After eight months of working on the government’s comprehensive and far-reaching broadband plan, which is going to ensure that all Australians, regardless of where they live, will be able to access fast broadband, it was able to be announced by the Prime Minister and by me yesterday.

We do not go in for knee-jerk reactions; we go in for detailed policy work that involves proper costings, proper coverage maps and proper technical detail to support the policy that we roll out. I repeat my challenge to the Labor Party, which they should get around to, because I am going to keep asking them: releasing maps—

Senator Carr —Mr President, I raise a point of order. My point of order goes to the question of relevance. I asked: why did the minister deem it necessary to take to cabinet a list of the 40 most marginal seats in terms of its maps? I asked that direct question. I think I am entitled to an answer.

The PRESIDENT —The minister has 2½ minutes to complete her answer. I would remind her of the question—

Senator Chris Evans interjecting—

The PRESIDENT —and I would remind Senator Evans that shouting is disorderly.

Senator Chris Evans —Mr President, on the same point of order: I would just make the point that there is some frustration in the chamber because the minister makes no attempt at all to answer the question. She even says in responding that she has no intention of answering the question. I would ask you to enforce more rigidly the requirement on ministers to at least have a crack at answering the question.

The PRESIDENT —Frustration is no answer to disorderly behaviour, and disorderly behaviour has been going on before questions have been asked. I remind you of the question, Senator Coonan, but I also remind senators that shouting across the chamber, regardless of the minister or any person asking a question, is disorderly.

Senator COONAN —I can understand how the opposition have been frustrated waiting for the government’s broadband policy and how anxious they have been to get hold of the maps. Maps of broadband coverage were prepared and released to all MPs, regardless of political colour, on the day of the announcement. That does not differentiate a party and it does not differentiate in any way any of the arrangements that related to the release of the maps. People on my side of the chamber and in my party only saw the maps yesterday. That is really the critical thing—that, if you have an arrangement for the preparation of paper and paperwork, that in no way differentiates the way in which you release the maps and release the information to everyone who is entitled to it. This is public information. It was all released at the same time. Despite the invitation from Senator Carr, I do not feel inclined to tell him what the maps are that are discussed in cabinet.

Senator Faulkner —You hypocrite.

The PRESIDENT —Order! Senator Faulkner, withdraw that comment. Stand up and withdraw it!

Senator Faulkner —Certainly, I withdraw.

The PRESIDENT —Thank you. Senator Coonan, have you completed your answer?

Senator COONAN —The Labor Party are living in the past. Thirty years ago seems to be about where they are. But, if this is all the Labor Party have to talk about in response to our broadband proposal announced yesterday—when maps were released and there was no privileged information given to anyone—then I think it is a pretty good sign that we have hit a raw nerve and we have delivered a great package.

Honourable senators interjecting—

The PRESIDENT —When senators come to order we will continue with question time, and not before. Senator Faulkner and Senator Coonan, come to order.

Senator CARR —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, is it not true that the leaked email from your office made it perfectly clear that it was not possible to complete all the maps, that only the 40 electoral maps—the top marginal coalition seats—were required to be completed by the time of the cabinet meeting? Isn’t it true that the minister actually walked into cabinet with a copy of Malcolm Mackerras’s electoral pendulum and the maps of the 40 most marginal coalition seats and got the endorsement of her package on that basis? Isn’t the broadband package, like everything else this government does, driven by the need for a short-term political fix rather than a plan for the next generation?

Senator COONAN (Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) —The answer to that is no. I can say from experience that this government does not need a focus group to know which side of the bed to get out of every morning like Mr Keating reminds us the Labor Party does.