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) (14:33): Yesterday we announced another 16,600 homes and businesses in Northern Queensland will be able to access the NBN in about 12 months time. New NBN fibre construction maps for Cairns, Mackay and Townsville have been released covering 12 suburbs. Across Queensland, we are on track this week for the construction of 21½ thousand. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Conroy is entitled to be heard in silence. Senator CONROY: Across Queensland we are on track to have construction for fibre services commenced or completed for 429,000 homes and businesses by mid-2015. And what did the local business in Cairns say? Local Cairns businessman Victor de Silva told the Cairns Post, 'For us it would be a huge benefit— (Time expired)