ZDNet.com.au columnist David Braue has committed to write one technology-related election rant for each business day until the Federal Election on August 21. But elections are above all, a debate between two sides. So Delimiter is going to match his seven rants — day by day – providing an alternative devil’s advocate point of view.

opinion There’s an old saying that I find applies particularly well to the debate over whether Australia needs a fibre to the home National Broadband Network: “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and Prime Minister Julia Gillard have been at pains to convince Australia during the past few weeks of hard-fought election campaign that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is aiming to deprive Australia of something that is its natural, god-given right: Fibre internet for every child.

Abbott, Labor has claimed, wants to do more than just hold Australia’s telecommunications development back with the Coalition’s patchwork of telecommunications policies. The Mad Monk actually wants to wantonly take Australian jobs and ship them wholesale to fibre-rich countries like Japan, Korea and Singapore, if you believe the Labor spin.

Even lowly ranked Labor MP wannabes like Townsville’s Tony Mooney are getting in on the act.

“Cutting the NBN would be a devastating blow for communities like Townsville. It would represent lost access to healthcare, lost access to education, lost jobs and lost business opportunities for the future,” Mooney said this week as Gillard turned the soil on NBN construction work while he proudly looked on.

“Leaving Townsville in the digital dark ages, like the LNP’s Ewen Jones would, and preventing future economic growth and jobs is something I cannot stand for. ”

At the core of this attack is the idea that Australia is somehow being left behind.

Without 100Mbps internet to every household, so the argument goes, the Lucky Country won’t be able to compete effectively in business with our Asian neighbours, our children won’t be educated properly, and our elderly folk will be left sitting crying in their homes in pain while they wait for medical aid that will never arrive and rue the Coalition’s decision to block the magical NBN-fuelled videoconferencing that would have solved all their woes.

There is indeed some merit to the Labor ideal.

Yes, Labor’s NBN-based telecommunications policy is an attractive one. It’s a bit, fat solid plank of policy that is easy for the electorate to understand. All Australians really need to know about the NBN is that it will result in a much faster internet connection hitting their house over the next few years.

However, it has become apparent over the past several weeks that — like any flashy, big bang-style policy, the NBN is overblown and Labor has pinned all of its hopes on it.

Sure, a universal fibre rollout will have far-reaching subtle implications for Australia’s economy. But Labor has tied so many ribbons onto the NBN’s mane that it’s starting to look a little tattered.

E-health and telemedicine. Educational outcomes. Jobs. Industry development. Nation-building infrastructure comparable to the Snowy Mountain Hydro Scheme. Restructuring the telecommunications industry. Reining in Telstra. Providing better services to communities. And even — if the Greens had their way — better access to core government services.

The fact of the matter is that Australia won’t suddenly become a haven for innovative digital media companies and technology startups just because we have fibre running down every street.

That sort of massive industry change requires a raft of other changes – principally, massive government tax incentives for venture capitalists and startups to set up shop here and continue to base their operations locally as they grow.

It requires a much more highly educated workforce focused on technology – and a much bigger one at that. There is a slab of technology development work that is shipped off from Australia’s banks to India at the moment, for example – because it’s hard to get enough qualified staff in Australia, even if you can pay for them at the right price.

The medical and education benefits touted by the NBN are also a bunch of donkey twaddle.

Even middle-aged Australians and grandparents already video chat with their children and grandchildren on working holidays in the UK these days. The technology already exists – and it would cost nothing for doctors and patients to start using it on Australia’s existing broadband connections.

The technology is called “Skype”.

Any teacher will tell you that the best form of education for an Australian schoolchild is not to plug them into a computer and demand that they learn. The best education is to put that child in front of a real, qualified and experienced teacher.

And this is where David Braue’s argument that the Coalition secretly envies Labor its shiny broadband policy begins to fall down.

Labor is certainly envious of countries like Japan, Singapore and Korea, where fibre runs like water. But the Coalition, in turn, is not eyeing off Labor’s big bang NBN policy with covetous glances.

Instead, Abbott is likely looking at Conroy’s NBN antics and realising what most of the rest of Australia does — that real health, education and industry outcomes are to be had for the picking if the Government invests actual money in hospitals, GP clinics, schools, universities and industry incentive schemes.

In addition, he knows that if Labor starts to experience problems with the NBN rollout, it will give the Coalition a massive stick to beat it with on a whole host of other areas — all the ones that it has been campaigning on: E-health, education, industry development, jobs and so on.

In the end game, politically and economically, the NBN is a nice thing to have. But it’s not an essential thing. And that’s the other thing about the problem of the grass always being greener on the other side of the fence.

Usually, in reality — it’s an illusion.

Image credit: Andrea Kratzenberg, royalty free

Related posts:

1. Election rant 4: Labor’s three NBN strikes
2. Election rant 7: Labor’s arrogance hamstrung NBN policy
3. Election rant 1: Who’s greediest?
4. Election rant 2: NBN Co’s outrageous Labor favour
5. Election rant 3: Prevailing wisdom

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1. masealake
   Posted 29/08/2010 at 11:23 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Why needs a new election that cost another $170 millions from people’s money for the good payment to all politician?

   $170 millions will create a wonderful “Health Olympic Australia” that directly benefits everyone in Australia within 3 years in their health creation, and wealth creation, and then benefit to everyone globally afterward?

   People demands fairer resources supported of lives today, not tomorrow, and not another 3 years on and on?

   There are at least five economic productivity outcomes will resulting significant GDP progressing from a “Health Olympic Australia” as follow:

   1. Reductions in Australian Health Workforce cost;
   2. Reduction in Healthcare cost;
   3. Reduction in lost productivity cost;
   4. Increase from agriculture outcome;
   5. Increase from “Health Olympic Australia” creation in goods/products exportation.

   Australia people will fill the miss opportunity to them should it exist today.

   Ma kee wai
   (Member of Inventor Association Queensland since 1993)

2. masealake
   Posted 03/09/2010 at 9:31 pm | Permalink | Reply

   What Australia hung parliament demonstrating deep in voter’s heart?

   Australia citizens now enter a very challenging political era for 70 years in the 2010 federal election, many reforms are demanding by voters are looking for a change with anger to share fairer resources supplied lives from the first term of government?

   Voters handed down their decisive votes during election time are looking for an efficient, effective and economically run government. A high transparency in less mistaken caused processing under no discriminately enforced services government. A long term wealth creative vision with fast action moving forward progressing resulting value add to voters benefits in each term of governing.

   Voters are crying for action right now to have improved resources support lives that suppose lead by a government in the following eight commitments:

   1. What vision of prosperity voters seen?
   2. Why action not enough in the past 3 years?
   3. How many election promises has been fulfilled?
   4. Where productivity motivation to voters?
   5. What materials to speed up election promises processing?
   6. Why some election promises in powerless process?
   7. How far transparency in each department service voters wanted?
   8. Where prioritized direction to empowerment the nation?

   Ma kee wai
   (Member of Inventor Association Queensland since 1993)

3. masealake
   Posted 25/09/2010 at 5:56 pm | Permalink | Reply

   What democratic societies should learn lessen from Australia election 2010:
   1. What productive action Gillard Labor government 5 billions to UN buys ousted PM Kevin Rudd’s face?
   Voter’s pains did not link to high income Politicians and Bureaucracy.
   The Australia historical hung parliament demonstrated the big gap of inequality society between the small educated elite groups who get highest pay by talk feast used mouth work controlling live essential resources of the country in every social platforms against the biggest less educated groups who get lowest pay by hands work squeezed by discriminative policies that sucking live blood from individual poor/less wealth off?

   Voters’ voices do not hear?
   Voters’ pains do not ease?
   Voters’ cries do not care?

   1. Poverty will not be phase out if no fairer resources to share;
   2. Illness will not be reducing if no preventive measurement in real action;
   3. Agriculture will not be revitalize if urbanization continuing its path;
   4. Housing affordability will not be reach for young generation if government continues cashing from young generation debt by eating out the whole cake of education export revenue without plough back;
   5. Manufacture industry will shrink smaller and smaller if no new elements there to power up to survive;
   6. Employability will not in the sustainable mode for so long as manufacture and agriculture not going to boost.

   Ma kee wai
   (Member of Inventor Association Queensland since 1993)

4. masealake
   Posted 24/03/2011 at 12:33 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Why believe coalition Supporting Local Communities?
   It’s all about power and money most Politicians and parties wanted above all and after all election?
   Just listen how Barry O’Farrell convincing voters: “Over the last four years I announced positive and practical policies which will help support local communities……..” .
   Take a look below the link subject: “Time for Action” in “Healthy Active Life” program that convert Broken hill into a Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy? Link with http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=20747&mycomm=ES
   … , will you then still believe Barry O’Farrell’s announced positive and practical policies which will help support local communities……..” ?
   Will you also believe there were only 1-2 Politicians responding to this greatest “Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy model”?
   Why the most Politicians do fail their own test in support community health/economic development who with$1.65 million Tax payer’s money each annual spending for?
   Masealake (Member of Inventor Association QLD)

5. masealake
   Posted 26/03/2011 at 8:05 am | Permalink | Reply

   Why believe coalition economic plan works without revitalize agriculture and manufacture industries??
   It’s all about power and money most Politicians and parties wanted above all and after all election?
   Just listen how Barry O’Farrell convincing voters: “People are our asset. They are our greatest wealth and they should be given the opportunity to pursue their dreams?” On the issue of economic management, Mr O’Farrell was asked what he thought was the state’s greatest source of wealth, given NSW lacked a resources industry.
   Take a look below the link subject: “Time for Action” in “Healthy Active Life” program that convert Broken hill into a Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy? Link with http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=20747&mycomm=ES
   … .
   When we look at what today’s shrinking industries, such of agriculture (34% of fruit and 19% of vegetables imported); manufacture (10.5% by 2005–6) destructed by John Howard’s coalition government.
   Will you then still believe Mr Barry O’Farrell’s coalition opposition announced positive and practical policies which will help revitalize agriculture and manufacture industries for create more sustainable jobs, and innovative export products?
   Remember, it’s not one person to construct or destruct the whole lots of industries, it’s the matter of whole political party/government?
   Will you also believe there were only 1-2 Politicians responding to this greatest “Healthy Las Vergas Broken Hill economy model”?
   Why the most Politicians do fail their own test in spend little brain work to revitalize agriculture and manufacture industries who with $1.65 million Tax payer’s money each annual spending for?
   Masealake (Member of Inventor Association QLD)