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) (14:34): On 20 December last year the Acting Prime Minister marked the completion of the Gillard government's $250 million Regional Backbone Blackspots Program by opening the final link in Darwin. Senator Brandis: The Acting Prime Minister? Julia? Senator CONROY: It was Mr Swan. Despite the unprecedented flooding and cyclones experienced at the beginning of last year, the Darwin fibre-optic backbone link was delivered on budget and with minimal delay in the face of floods and cyclones. The Darwin to Toowoomba fibre-optic backbone link is the fifth link, stretching 3,800 kilometres and passing through more than 30 towns, and it will benefit more than 160,000 people across Queensland and the Northern Territory. The RBBP has now delivered over 6,000 kilometres of fibre backbone. (Time expired)