“Witch hunt”? Turnbull opens Labor NBN policy review

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news Malcolm Turnbull has appointed seasoned executive and public figure Bill Scales to conduct what the Communications Minister today described as an “independent audit” of the policy development process which led to the previous Government’s National Broadband Network project, in an effort which is already being described as a “witch hunt” against Labor.

The inquiry was an election promise outlined by Turnbull as part of the Coalition’s rival broadband policy published in April 2013. Announcing the policy today, the Minister said the the independent audit would investigate the advice, decisions and policy processes that led to the National Broadband Network policy and establishment of NBN Co.

The effort will be led by Bill Scales, currently the Chancellor of Swinburne University of Technology. Scales has a very varied work and executive history. Originally a fitter and machinist by trade, he also holds a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University. Over a forty-year career he has held leadership positions in the public and private sectors, including spells as Chairman of the Industry Commission (now the Productivity Commission), Secretary of Victoria’s Department of Premier and Cabinet, and Group Managing Director for regulatory and corporate affairs at Telstra.

scales

Scales’ full biography is available online. In his statement announcing the appointment, Turnbull made the point that Scales had served on a number of major public inquiries over the past eight years, initiated by both the Coalition and Labor Governments, including the high-profile Gonski Review of school funding, the Bradley Review of the higher education sector, and more. “Mr Scales brings a wealth of experience in public policy and telecommunications to the role,” said Turnbull.

The Minister noted that Scales will report to the Government within four months of today’s appointment, and that the executive’s audit would come in addition to a review of governance within NBN Co that was being conducted by Korda Mentha.

The terms of reference published by Turnbull for the review state that it is to cover the period from April 2008 (when the then Rudd Administration issued a request for proposals for a national broadband network solution) to May 2010, when the implementation for Labor’s eventual NBN policy was released.

The audit should is to outline the public policy process undertaken to support decisions by the Australian Government relevant to the NBN policy, including a description of the advice and processes that led to the establishment of NBN Co, the origin and basis for NBN Co’s mandate to run fibre to the premises (FTTP) to 90-93 per cent of Australian premises and the approach taken in regard to obtaining cost benefit or independent reviews of the project.

It is also to provide recommendations in relation to the NBN public policy process. This should include recommendations on what future actions should be taken by the Australian Government when considering major projects / reforms such as the NBN.

The terms of reference note that it is expected that Scales will consult with relevant entities and individuals (both within and outside Government) and will access legally available information. “These enquiries and the information provided will necessarily be constrained as the terms of reference raise matters where access to information is restricted,” the terms of reference state.

It is not common for new Federal Governments to conduct independent audits into the policy development processes of previous administrations, and Turnbull’s move has already sparked comments online that the proceedings have a political flavour about them.

One commenter on Internet forum Reddit questioned whether Scales would be given access to Labor Cabinet papers on the National Broadband Network. Turnbull has previously requested that Labor consent to releasing a number of NBN-related documents which were considered by the previous Rudd and Gillard Cabinets, as the new Coalition Government has done in other areas, breaking precedent on such matters.

A report produced by investment bank Lazard back in 2010 reportedly warned the then-Labor administration of major risks to the NBN plan. Details about the report were revealed by The Australian newspaper, but the report itself has never been released publicly. It was one of a number of reports commissioned by the Government at the time and presents one view of the NBN. Other reports presented different views.

Said Turnbull in Parliament in November: “On the weekend we learnt that the Labor government had been advised by its investment banker, Lazard, that the NBN, on the government’s plan, was going to result in a $31 billion loss—a negative net present value. And they did not share that with anyone. The NBN has been the characteristically reckless Labor undertaking from the very start—from the moment it was conceived by Senator Conroy and Kevin Rudd on the back of a beer coaster on a VIP flight.”

Opinionated NBN commentator Kieran Cummings, who has largely been critical of the Coalition’s approach to the project wrote on Reddit that the review constituted a “witch hunt”. And another commenter added: “Here we go … another “Independent” thing that will ignore the facts and falsify numbers to “coincidentally” make the ALP look bad and the LNP look good.”

opinion/analysis
Turnbull has taken a step in the right direction by appointing Scales to this role; it would be hard to find a more respected and independent business or government executive undertake the work, despite the fact that he was involved with Telstra on the regulatory front a little before the modern day NBN policy was developed.

However, I have to say that I am surprised Scales agreed to take up the role. It’s very clear at this point, given the other inquiries going on into the history of other Labor projects and groups such as the home insulation scheme and the unions, that Tony Abbott’s Coalition Government is using these inquiries to stack up as much evidence of Labor’s incompetency as possible. This is not governing; it is pure politics, designed to give the Coalition ammunition against Labor whenever it needs it.

I don’t have a problem with projects being audited. But auditing Labor’s policy development process? That’s just politics. How each party develops policies is completely up to it, and there is no real standard for how new policies should be developed.

There is also an essential hubris here. One would hardly call the development of the Coalition’s own broadband policy, which has changed regularly as and when Turnbull personally sees fit, to be the most legitimate and well-researched process. A large amount of evidence has already been presented, for example, to question the assumptions in the hastily constructed background paper which Turnbull’s office published in April 2013 to back its own broadband policy. And since taking office, Turnbull has personally dramatically changed the Coalition’s broadband policy several times. Hell, at the moment there is no formal Coalition broadband policy, given that the Minister has yet to respond to the recommendations of NBN Co’s Strategic Review. But the Government is ploughing ahead anyway, full steam ahead.

By opening an inquiry into Labor’s NBN policy development process, Turnbull is virtually inviting Labor to do the same to his own processes in three, six or nine years’ time; whenever the Coalition loses power. I’ve personally followed the changing Coalition broadband policy on a day to day basis for the past three years. I can categorically state that such an audit, applied to Turnbull’s own processes, would not be a bed of roses. I hope the Minister is aware of this long-term implication of the inquiry he has established today. Few Australians believe the Minister’s current “Multi-Technology Mix” broadband approach to be the right one. It would not suit Turnbull’s long-term legacy well to have the same sort of nasty report appended to his name that he has just set up in an attempt to smear Labor.

I’d like to leave this article with a final quote, from that paragon of peace, Mahatma Gandhi. “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” It’s time to end the cycle of hatred in politics. Only then will stable, long-term governance in Australia be achieved. The Coalition won the election. When will it stop trying to smear Labor? Australians want elected politicians to actually govern, not to fight with each other incessantly.

Image credit: NEXTDC, Swinburne University

68 COMMENTS

    • Yep.. Royal Commission into the wanton and deliberate destruction of the nbn via politcal malice at an extraordinary cost to taxpayers and the economy.

  1. The government will stop attempting to smear Labor when democracy doesn’t exist as a governing ideology.
    Perhaps we do need to work on skynet to be a benevolent dictatorship?

  2. When Labour get back in they should commission an investigation into the sale of Telstra. The Liberals would argue “what’s the point? It’s in the past, what’s done is done” which is the same response everyone should be giving to this ridiculous waste of time and resources.

    There is so much irony in spending time and money to determine the reasons behind the formation of a project that they think is a waste of time and money. At leas the project would have had something tangible as a result, unlike this investigation.

    The lady doth protest too much, methinks. This reeks of desperation.

  3. Actually, its high time the full details of the insane folly that was Labour’s NBN should be revealed. I’ve spent 20 years implementing IT solutions and it was obvious to me from the start that the project was not achievable and would end in a disgusting waste of money. I sincerely hope that someone documents it and produces a case study in why large scale IT projects fail and why governments routinely fail to deliver value for such projects.

    • Show us the waste???

      There is none!!!!

      Even TurnBULL’s boating mate (JBR) admitted in his dodgy SR that the money spent to-date (5.5Billion, not MT’s “20 Billion” claim) by NBN Co had not been inappropriately spent and there was no financial mismanagement found.

      Sure the roll-out was 6-12 months behind, but that is not the same as a cost blow-out when your contractors are working to delivery based contracts (no delivery, no pay).

    • The NBN wasn’t given the time to fail, so you’re presuming something that was 10 years in the future. Delivering value on the NBN would be even more of a future looking proposition.

      Feel free to point out projects that have failed, such as some of the state based Shared Services disasters, but they’re entirely irrelevant to this article and the NBN.

      P.S. I’ve spent 21 years implementing IT solutions and it was obvious to me from the start that this was an important nation building project that should have had bipartisan support.

    • In my 30 years in IT, I’d say they fail for just the reasons the NBN is going to be a disaster now. Politics and bean counters. If your reasoning that it would fair is because you think the politicians would wreck it, fair enough. If you feel that it was a waste because Turnbull’s solution is much better, I’d have to asked your political bias and ask if your job is installing printer cartridges.

    • Well fellers now that Brad has spoken we may as well pack up and go home, 20 years of IT experience, more like a 6 months subscription to some computer magazine. This is an evidence based site, produce the evidence and you better make it convincing.

    • ” I’ve spent 20 years implementing IT solutions and it was obvious to me from the start that the project was not achievable and would end in a disgusting waste of money.”

      Sorry, but none of what you say is even close to believable, unless by “IT solutions” you mean selling pron and games. I too have been working in IT for over 25 years (including the Optus rollout for which I was a trainer and received an 858 visa to become an Aussie). I can safely say that the ALP plan (though not the implementation) was one of the most brilliant government communication strategies I have seen to date.

      ” its high time the full details of the insane folly that was Labour’s NBN should be revealed”

      By this logic, the Coalition should be forced to publicize all their caucus meetings, communications, and discussions concerning the NBN prior to the elections as well, since they are basing half their strategy on the foundation that the ALP set up. I think a FOI filing is called for…

      • “Sorry, but none of what you say is even close to believable, unless by “IT solutions” you mean selling pron and games. I too have been working in IT for over 25 years (including the Optus rollout for which I was a trainer and received an 858 visa to become an Aussie). I can safely say that the ALP plan (though not the implementation) was one of the most brilliant government communication strategies I have seen to date.”

        Well then, sorry, you’re an idiot…

        Because the implementation was directly spawned from the plan… If the plan was so great, surely the implementation would have been okay, right?

        If you had done a 6 week bloody course in project management rather than bragging about 25 years of apparent ineptitude, you’d understand that the implementation is shot to hell because the plan never accounted for the problems they’d run in to. No apparent risk register, awareness or redundancy = bad plan. NAUGHTY PLAN!

        The only thing Labor got right was it’s choice of medium, which is why you and others try to overlook all the other failings. Everything since then has been an ever increasing pile of horsecrap. And I don’t need 25 years of “experience” to tell me that, because I know that when I plan an implementation, I bother to actually look at it critically and acknowledge the flaws and possible failure points.

        Instead, all we got were constant promises of how good things would be even as time began to slip away, holes started appearing.

        I pair that by saying the LNP plan at the moment is worse than the ALP plan… But that’s like comparing dying of a heart attack vs a car crash. The difference is how intact the corpse is at the end, neither end result would be considered “good”.

        Here’s a question for your 25 years of experience. When you plan out an implementation, do you bother doing cost/benefit for your management, or a write up justifying why it should happen? Do you cast a critical eye over your implementation and detail the possible risks? Do you put in place redundancies to ensure that you aren’t caught short?(eg. the debacle with the Qld Health payroll upgrade ring a bell?).

        If you aren’t answering all those questions with a yes, then you’re doing it wrong.

        Of course, I fully expect that you would answer all those questions with a yes because, unless you are a complete moron, you actually care about your professional reputation (oh, and holding on to your job). You would put in the due diligence because ultimately it would be YOUR ass on the line if it all fell down in a screaming heap.

        The gov. didn’t. It needed something shinier than NBN Mk I (FTTN you’ll recall) to save it from the hole Telstra left it in with a non compliant bid. So it ripped out fibre, and it’s been ad libbing ever since.

        Turnbull has a mile of latitude because the ALP created it. As per the article, it’s a risky move that could come back to bite him down the line when the ALP gains power again, but for now, he’s going to have a field day once he get’s his hands on the paper trail of the NBN that shows just how poor the plan really was.

        • There are issues and concerns that can be planned for. And those that can’t.

          At a certain point, the cost and time required to reach beyond a certain percentage of mitigation causes costs to spiral out of control.

          None of this should be news to anyone. Claiming there is a perfect roll-out strategy and being exasperated that Labor and NBNco didn’t do so – ignores the simple fact that there is no perfect strategy.

          Yes, NBNco got it wrong. But then it had become a political cock-fight over a nation-building exercise long before the first trench cut. It went down hill from there.

          But not all of the failings are NBNco’s. Anyone with half a brain can see NBNco were not just over-stating potentials for deployment numbers – but were truely hamstrung by political decision making that lead to a ridiculous roll-out schedule.

          The medium choice was the best option. NBNco should have been left to build in the best manner possible. Not based on political expediency.

          Semantic arguments over what was right or wrong, or Turnbull’s fresh attempt at another witch hunt to blame Labor and absolve responsibility, are now, frankly, redundant.

          Labor isn’t in Government. The Coalition is.

          We are set to spend potentially the entire term of this current government, hunting for people to blame, side-stepping statements over what is, or is not, in scope and in tit-for-tat politicking and endless reports and reviews into reviews and reports.

          Precious little will be built. And that’s the true crime, imho. A waste of time that could have otherwise been spent achieving.

  4. Its small wonder the NBN has basically stalled completely, most of the staff must be tied up with these endless audits and inquiries. Can we please just get on with it in one form or another – preferably fiber.

  5. This is nothing short of delay tactic.

    Why? What most people do not realise is that outside the major cities there is no attempt to deliver anything other than Fixed Wireless – despite the election promise of Malcolm that ‘areas with < 100 premises will be considered for Nodes'.

    This was as it transpired, to be completely and utterly false.

    Fibre-optic is already in the ground. Ericsson building Towers on top of it – and using microwave links to connect them (not even using the fibre…)

    Welcome to Malcolms Dream: National Smart Grid using the Ericsson LTE 2300 Smart Grid Management System.

    Why not be honest? He's been caught out – but is now just buying time.

  6. I don’t think the Coalition realise they’re no longer in opposition. They’ve now got more to do than just bag Labor all day. How about governing?

    • They tried governing with their “stop the boats” policy. Look how well that’s going for them. They’ve just gone back to what they do best.

      • Consider, what is the difference between “Boat Refugees” and refugees from the camps.?

        Refugees from the camps with due respect are patient , inert and long suffering. – ideal sheeple.

        Those that come by boat are prepared to risk all, even their lives and a large slice of assets whether their own or borrowed. Often prudent enough to get out with their assets while thy can. – forward thinking go getting risk takers. – anathema to conservatives

  7. “I can categorically state that such an audit, applied to Turnbull’s own processes, would not be a bed of roses”

    Oh for sure. I am sure if someone got access to Malcolm’s communications or some insider spilled the beans in an enquiry there could be some very questionable stuff come out. I think many people know a lot of it, being so blatant, they just lack the hard evidence.

  8. Well done Mr Turnbull the waste and incompetency of the laborgreen machine was frightening to say the least!

  9. Australia is slipping further and further behind in everything, why because people like TurnBull talk the talk but can’t get it right , the NBN no wonder it will take years to buld cause Turnbull keeps opening audits, breakdowns and reforms on it, and the cost of these reforms, audits is why the NBN is costing more then it should, Get it ight Turnbull and fix your S*#T

  10. Someone needs to tell Malcolm to JUST GET ON WITH THE ROLLOUT AND STOP WASTING TIME !!!!!

  11. And the point of this is what exactly? Will it help any network get built.? Is it just more dodging of the responsibility to do actually do something? So far as I know all we have after this Gov came to power is a ringing endorsement from paid employees/consultants to carry out the CBN policy from last year. Sorry forgot that half baked website thingy they put out.
    So to fix the problem we delve into the past to vilify a former Government while consumers wait for something to happen. At least Labor had a plan now we have nothing but a half backed network architecture that will scream for improvement as soon as the ditch is covered. Give me strength.

    • Q: why would a politician look to do another review?

      A: It is a distraction

      So what is happening while time is being wasted? Telstra is maneuvering. Malcolm is setting us up for the abandonment of wholesale competition and not only will Telstra relive its cherry picking of the 90’s but is about to get massive ongoing payments for “saving” us from Labor’s “NBN debt mess”.

      Malcolm is the father of the biggest sellout in Australia’s history.

      • So true. This review along with the others underway have the sole purpose of providing Malcolm TalkBull with his excuse for not proceeding with the NBN/CBN. Who will benefit from it being dropped? His mates at Telstra which is clear from his appointing yet another ex-Telstra staffie in Scales.

  12. “It’s time to end the cycle of hatred in politics”? It won’t happen under an LCP government. It’s their way of filling their policy vacuum with the appearance of activity.

    It’s not unknown for governments to regret calling inquiries, so it is disappointing, given your readers’ support for the NBN, that an adverse outcome is assumed by many.

    Lucy may have been in Malcolm’s ear about his unravelling policies and has suggested this could be a way to justify re-instating the original plan. Wives can be clever that way.

    It’s an inquiry into our involvement in Iraq I’d like to see. One can always dream.

  13. Politics – a system designed for the selection the worst possible alternative over the longest period of time.

  14. Royal Commision for Mr Fraudband

    After the next election when labor is returned a Royal Commission is needed, into Mr Fraudband’s plans drawn up on a napkin at a restaurant.

    When all the Coalitions new promises are abandoned and the Australian public are left with zero improvements in broadband a Royal commission into their dishonesty prior to the last election and the dishonesty of their advisers should be implemented.

    Mr Fraudband’s constant harping on a “cost benefit analysis” has disappeared when he now seeks to implement his plans without any “cost benefit analysis”.

  15. >”Hell, at the moment there is no formal Coalition broadband policy, given that the Minister has yet to respond to the recommendations of NBN Co’s Strategic Review.”
    Didn’t the NBNCo board decide on the MTM?

    • Has there actually ever been a “formal” policy on BB from the LNP? There’s been a lot of fluff and MT changing tack every month or so trying to drag us kicking and screaming into the 2000’s…

      This “review” is a can of worms as it invites Labor to repeat this appalling waste of time on Liberal policies when they get into power. Or does the Earl think he’ll be above this reciprocal muck raking when he finds himself sitting on the other side of the chamber?

  16. Turnbull needs to come out to the country where the Telstra copper network is in a terrible state of disrepair. Every time it rains out here (not too often lately) half the town loses its phones because of the copper lines being so neglected. Turnbull knows what is best for the country but Abbott has the screws turned so tight he is not game to be honest. This man needs to stand by his convictions and do the right thing for all of Australia. The speed of my Internet sure leaves a lot to be desired and I can’t see it being any better when it is relying on the old, decrepit and neglected copper wiring. Shame Turnbull Shame.

  17. Bottom line is that the LNP have forgotten how to govern and are stuck in an endless opposition loop. They are inept!
    I guess that can happen when they don’t develop actual policy, but spend your time on three word slogans.

    The worst part of it all is that they forget that in government they have a responsibility to govern for all Australians…not just those that voted for them.

    I used to think that Turnbull was made of better stuff, then I started to feel sorry for him, but now I hold him in utter contempt.

    Words fail me on how it is that Australians, in all good faith voted this mob into office.

    As Ludlam says: We want our country back!

  18. It’s interesting to that Renai doesn’t question whether such an inquiry is justified, only that Scales is the best person for the job.

    My opinion is that a/ the inquiry isn’t justifiable, and b/ of course it’s a bloody witch hunt.

    And it’s brought on by Turnbull realizing that he still hasn’t sold his alternate policy and probably never will. He knows it will be a counter productive dogs breakfast which will cost the taxpayers, industry, and consumers, bucket loads of $$.
    So he’s now frantically clutching at straws by trying to denigrate the previous policy. And his comments in House of Reps QT are evidence of that. He’s already engaging in ad hominem attacks on Senator Conroy (Conrovian).

    Turnbull should just piss off out of govt, out of telecommunications, and try his hand at stand up comedy. He seems to think he has talent for it so let him go for it.

  19. so much for moving forward and getting the job done and not looking to blame the previous government.

    i guess they dont realise that the more promises they break the less chance they have of staying in power. we kicked out labor for being stupid and losing the plot, youd think the liberals would have learnt from that, a lot of voters will, and may never vote liberal again.

    theres a breaking point where you really just sit here and go wtf are they doing, stop stuffing about with this waste of time and money crap and just run the bloody country. how an idea comes to light isnt important, (im sure the liberal party have some doozies) it doesnt matter if it was conceived on the back of a napkin or some super think tank, how its actually planned and implemented is all that matters (and i think we can all admit that labour didnt do the best job, but you cant say the liberals did cause a lot of the problems, both sides have screwed up here, yet again)

    and why on earth would labor hand over any documents when the liberal party wouldnt even hand over the communications red book? if they want to actually be transparent then release everything from your own side, prove youre actually being honest and transparent.

    • “the back of a napkin”

      All ideas start on the back of a napkin or in the shower or on the drive to work or …

      It’s such commonplace knowledge that society has a bunch of aphorisms for it:

      “Great oaks from little acorns grow”
      “From little things, big things grow”

      Does anyone believe that any significant human endeavour started with more than just the germ of an idea?

      Frankly politicians should be applauded for being prepared to look at something with a completely blank slate. That most only think within the narrow confines of their ideology is precisely what destroys good ideas and hinders progress.

      • +100

        But then they are squawking about money being spent on safety gear.
        Demonstrating their absolute disregard for worker safety and lives

  20. I thought this whole NBN mess came because of the privatization of Telstra. Which Government did that again?

    • theres blame on both sides for the telstra issue, so its a moot point.

      perhaps you can explain how spending a couple of million finding out how the labour nbn was conceived will help with the telecomms issue, or any other issue, in this country?

  21. What a good idea, perhaps what will eventuate is a step by step guide. Going through the entire process of evaluating options and concluding FTTP is the most effective expense of time, money and effort for the long term benefit of Australia.

    Malcolm can then follow its reasoning and admit ubiquitous FTTP is in Australias best interests. Then he can help its rollout with a team of ex-Telstra board members on flying pigs, draping it from power poles.

    A later government can then investigate his performance, the information proven to be available to him, whether his statements of fact were contrary to that proven knowledge, and then happily set a precedent to apply to themselves by adjusting his pension to his performance :p

    • “Malcolm can then follow its reasoning and admit ubiquitous FTTP is in Australias best interests”

      Pigs will fly before Turnbull admits he is wrong about anything.

  22. Waiting for Abbott and the rest of the gang of 4 to go down for destroying a political party that was eroding their voter base by coming up with a slush fund to pay for false evidence to frame the head of that party. Perverting the course of justice, defamation, a list of criminal actions.
    Slipper, was Abbots best mate, went to his wedding.
    But don’t worry, you will get the destruction of any viable opposition and get the rapacious brutish dictatorship you crave. Note the armed AFP squad that stormed and trashed The TV station. Had to have had ministerial instructions. Those refugee camps will get good use holding 10 times the number of people they were designed for with the mercenary operators .
    The question Peter G, will you join the LNP Militia or the goon squads?

  23. So Turnbull is as ugly as Abbott. All pissed off because they were beaten by a woman in 2010. What a disgrace. So busy worrying about what labor did and not looking at what they are doing themselves now they are in government. Well they can have all the witch hunts they like and all the bad press on labor they like but Australians will not be taken for fools forever. So this is the real Turnbull and the Godwin Greche affair was actually not an error of judgement but a mean spirited revengeful bloke just like his leader.

  24. The idea with the active and willing assistance of Murdoch Media and the AFR and the shock jocks and TV and Radio networks is to destroy any real opposition, any opposition would only be permitted if they were puppets, unlike Gillard. Puppets would never seek justice or rock the boat, just be scapegoats to carry the can when the economy and nation is screwed over by the ideological loons.
    Note Albanese has been conciliatory to Dear Rupert and his associates, as a result News promoted him as leader and is out to destroy any alternate leader.

    Carefully evaluate our Nations future and whether you would wish to raise a family in the Australia of the future as created by the LNP and their masters and the News Ltd propaganda network

  25. What we have is a government of reviews. After over 5 months in power, they have initiated countless reviews but have only presented two bills to parliament. I suppose, it is to be expected from a party which went to the elections with a book of aspirations and few vaguely worded policies.

    • The LNP appears to be embarked on a PVI (Political Vengeance Initiative), in the same vein as Gov. Chris Cristie in the US…and they are using the taxpayers credit card to do it.

    • It wasn’t a book it was a pamphlet, they dont have the collective intelligence to write a book.

  26. Now I know why Turnbull wants to carry out this review, he’s hoping he can learn something from Labor because he has no fucking idea.

  27. I think I just figured Abbott and tunrbul
    They want to stop the boats with the coalition broadband network
    No boat people will want be here
    Problem solved

  28. Only a Government would spend millions of dollars to find out how not to do something.

  29. Conclusion that will be published: It is the fault of Labour, Boats, and carbon tax.

  30. The LNP seem to spend a good deal of resources on finger pointing. If the NBN turns into a complete disaster that costs the country dearly I expect a full investigation into those responsible for being reckless with one of the biggest and most expensive infrastructure projects in this country. Any form of corruption should faced with severe consequences monetary and jail time. It’s time these politicians be accountable for the mess they leave behind.

  31. If it hasn’t been clear to you before, it’s pretty clear now. The Liberal party doesn’t stand for anything, they just stand against anything Labor. Look at its entire history if you have any doubt.

  32. I hope that the Government’s deposition is not short sighted!

    The Fiber technology has longevity and has been proven now for over 30 years.( I think these independent ex Telstra mates may be the real issue).
    How many times will we need to repair these copper lines over and over? Due to flooding, lightning strikes and corrosion. ( compare to fiber).

    Can we be the best in the world at something two fold?
    Best communications technology, providing a long term reliability, creating new jobs for real Australians, cost of fiber will decrease over time, higher investment returns in long run.

    Sure the NBN rollout has been slow, thats because no one wants to start in a new industry and then be out of a job tomorrow.

    The longer Turnbull takes to make a decision the more time not used for other things.
    Mr Turnbull time is also money !!!!

  33. Adding to my last post.

    Mr T is waiting for the State Elections in Tas and WA before he makes a decision.
    Can we make one for him?

  34. What a waste of time and money! Why don’t the Libs just implement whatever policy they have on the NBN or whatever it’s going to become so the ISPs and telcos can get on with providing services to customers. Right now everything’s in limbo an no one is going to invest in infrastructure or roll out new services until there’s certainty from the government. Turnball is a clown.

  35. Turnbull and his lackeys continue to spin their wheels and go absolutely no where. F..king politicians.

    • The LNP does appear to be the least effective and most costly Government I have seen in many decades.

  36. Just two things I think about this really:

    1. Malcolm, be careful what you wish for.

    2. It’s good to see the LNP “Governing by Review”, maybe they’ll finally be able to figure out how to come up with some actual decent policies…

  37. By all means, yet another review into the NBN will most certainly deliver a faster, cheaper result.

  38. There are a lot of trolls here. Maybe the Chinese model is better, after all. One guy at the top makes all the decisions, no-one has the luxury of disagreeing, and the job gets done. Whether the right job is done is another matter, but at least they don’t have all this back-biting.

  39. The Yanks are now installing fibre to premises 1Gig upload, 1 Gig download.
    We on the other hand are still shouting at each other.
    The Argentines call this saw tooth government. UP, down, up, with no long term trend in the correct direction. Just your typical flatline.

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