Kitching, Sen Kimberley

Senator KITCHING (Victoria) (14:55): My question is for the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. I refer to the minister, who, when asked in May whether the government was open to the possibility of more equity funding for the NBN, said: No. The equity cap that is in place is $29.5 billion, and our planning is for nbn to source the remaining funding requirements by raising debt from external markets. We have outlined that very clearly. We believe and are confident that that will be able to be achieved. Isn't the market's rejection of your plan to source private debt a vote of no confidence in Mr Turnbull's second-rate copper dominated NBN?