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Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Page: 5870

Senator CONROY (Victoria—Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity) (13:05): As I said, I have already answered the questions, and Hansard will bear out that I did so, notwithstanding Senator Macdonald's attempt to then go on to verbal what I had to say. But I will repeat it. If Senator Macdonald is not satisfied with this answer, I cannot help him.

Where NBN Co. provides fibre, it will recover the cost on a national basis and over a longer time horizon, just as Telstra has historically done with the copper network. It is up to other providers as to how they charge and recover their costs. If alternative providers want to compete with NBN Co., they can, but it is on the understanding that they have the resources and capacity to do so.

I am not sure I can be any clearer or give you any further answer. You can change your question and ask it in five different ways and you will get the same answer.