MICHELLE ROWLAND MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS
MEMBER FOR GREENWAY
 
 
SENATE VOTE DECLARES $78 MILLION IN NBN BONUSES “EXCESSIVE, UNREASONABLE AND LACKING IN JUSTIFICATION”
 

The Senate has voted to declare the $78 million in corporate NBN bonuses paid during the COVID recession to be “excessive unreasonable and lacking in justification”.

The motion, moved by Senator Kitching and Senator Pratt, received majority crossbench support.
 
This follows Minister Paul Fletcher adopting four different tones on the excessive bonuses last week.

First, the Minister said it was a matter for the Board.

By midday, he was reportedly “unfazed”.

By 2pm, he was bizarrely blaming Labor.

By late afternoon, he was sufficiently concerned that he asked his office to “communicate” with NBNCo.

What a contrast to his swift action when it was revealed the former CEO of Australia Post had spent $20,000 of taxpayers money on Cartier watches.

THE MOTION

*1040 Senators Pratt and Kitching: To move—That the Senate—

1. notes:
1. between July 2020 and December 2020, NBN Co paid out $78 million in corporate bonuses with taxpayer money,
2. the 2018 NBN corporate plan set a revenue target of $4.9 billion for financial year 2020; NBN Co achieved $3.8 billion,
3. the 2018 NBN corporate plan set an activations target of 8.1 million by financial year 2020; NBN Co achieved 7.3 million,
4. the 2018 NBN corporate plan forecast the multi-technology NBN would cost $49 billion; the forecast cost is now $57 billion,
5. the Prime Minister effectively sacked Ms Holgate on the floor of Parliament for spending $20,000 on Cartier watches in 2018, but had no issues with NBN Co paying out $78 million in corporate bonuses during a recession, and
6. NBN Co recently refused to answer 15 questions on notice from the Senate about their finances, despite having published this information previously;
2. considers the $78 million in NBN corporate bonuses during the COVID-19 recession to be excessive, unreasonable and lacking in justification;
3. affirms its commitment to ensuring there is appropriate transparency over how taxpayer money is spent on the NBN; and
4. calls on the Minister for Communications and NBN Chairman to reign in excessive spending and waste at NBN Co.

THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2021