The Telstra sale legislation was pushed through the House without full and proper debate today, making it a sad day for Australian democracy, and the Nationals, apart from Kay Hull, may take the money now, but they will pay for their betrayal, according to Peter Andren, Member for Calare.

"Kay Hull voted against the bill and good on her, but the fact is her vote, unlike Barnaby Joyce's simply didn't count in the end," Mr Andren said.

"As it did in the Senate yesterday, the government has shown absolute contempt for democratic processes and has cut short debate on the Telstra sale bill, denying me the opportunity to express my constituents' opposition to the sale in the parliament.

"The vote on the Telstra sale bill was taken after midday in a ruthless display of realpolitik by the government in stark contrast to Mr Howard's undertaking his control of the parliament would be exercised 'humbly'.

"With the country independents unable to speak on the sale bill, and most Nationals MPs not on the list or conveniently missing the cut, country representatives have been gagged on this critical issue when more than 80% of rural Australians oppose the sale of Telstra.

"The Nationals, apart from Ms Hull are happy to take a $2B communications fund and run, despite knowing the fund will be lucky to deliver $100m a year for services. It is a con.

"The Nationals will find at the next election that it is not rural Australia that has been conned, but they themselves have been conned by their Liberal masters.

"Senator Joyce is trying to defend his sell-out by saying it was a case of take the deal or be left with nothing - he could have knocked back the deal and be left with what we have now: a publicly owned Telstra and ongoing government responsibility for telecommunications in the bush.

"The Nationals, the National Farmers' Federation and its NSW and Victorian affiliates have abandoned their constituency and their members. They have accepted supposed 'guarantees' from the Liberal Minister for Communications, and yet there are no guarantees in the sale legislation.

"We could see the end of subsidised satellite services for telephone and internet, the end of wide area un-timed local calls and the end of the ADSL register for towns to lobby for broadband.

"We will see Telstra management step up its campaign to remove government regulations that require it to service unprofitable areas.

"I will continue to represent to Telstra my constituents' rights to equal and affordable access to telecommunications services regardless of when the sale happens. It will be more important than ever, despite views to the contrary from the Nationals and their Liberal overlords," Mr Andren said.