Senator FIFIELD (Victoria—Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Assistant Minister for Social Services) (14:53): Through you, Mr President, Senator Williams might be interested to know that, by September 2013, almost $7 billion had been spent on the NBN but it had reached only three per cent of homes and businesses in Australia. Senator Conroy interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Conroy, if you wish to debate the issue, you have an opportunity after three o'clock. Senator FIFIELD: Senator Johnston, Senator Cormann and Senator Smith may be interested to know that, in Western Australia, only 74 premises in established towns and suburbs had been connected to the NBN fibre network by September last year—only 74. I know the view of my Western Australian colleagues is that Labor was not building— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Fifield, you deserve to be heard in silence. Those on my right and left should cease interjecting on your answer. Senator FIFIELD: I know that my Western Australian colleagues believe that the former government were building not a National Broadband Network but rather an Eastern States broadband network. A key reason for NBN Co's dismal progress was Labor's contempt for expert advice. They refused to hire executives with relevant experience, they refused to listen when industry experts warned the project was in peril and yesterday we learnt that they even refused to listen to their hand-picked board of directors. At an Australian Financial Review lunch yesterday, former NBN deputy chair Diane Smith-Gander exposed the truth. According to the AFR: … she has "no regrets" about her time overseeing the construction of the national broadband network, but suggested the federal government ignored advice of the board. When asked whether the board had urged Senator Conroy to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the NBN, Ms Smith-Gander said: Think about the notion of suggesting anything to Minister Conroy. There you have it. The previous government disregarded all and— (Time expired)