news Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has publicly backed as “the facts” a number of highly contentious statements by radio shockjock Alan Jones about Labor’s National Broadband Network project, including Jones’ contested claim that wireless represents the future of broadband in Australia.
Jones read a lengthy statement heavily criticising virtually all aspects of the NBN policy and delivery of that policy on air on 2GB radio this morning, followed by an interview with Turnbull. In his statement (we recommend you listen to the entire segment here), Jones descried the NBN as a “schmozzle” and described its foundation as a “thought bubble”, “scribbled on the back of an envelope” in 2009 by then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The shockjock has been a long-term critic of the NBN project and is openly associated with the Liberal Party, currently in Opposition.
A substantial number of aspects of Jones’ statement this morning could be considered controversial, in that they run directly counter to mainstream thinking in the technology sector and technical and commercial evidence on several issues. This article will detail two examples of Jones’ contested statements, however Delimiter recommends readers listen to the full audio broadcast to get a better sense of the breadth of Jones’ allegations about the NBN.
In the first example, close to the conclusion of his statement, Jones repeated his claim that the future broadband delivery in Australia would be based on wireless technologies. “The guts of it is that we’e rolling out cable at incredible expense, when the future is clearly wireless,” the commentator said. The comment marks the third time over the past few months that Jones has publicly stated his belief that wireless broadband would represent the future of service delivery.
However, the global telecommunications industry is currently almost universally in agreement that in every country, telecommunications needs will continue to be served by a mix of fixed and wireless infrastructure.
In Australia, for example, commentators such as Telstra CEO David Thodey have consistently stated that they expect Australians to buy both mobile and fixed broadband packages in future, as they serve differing needs; fixed broadband to supply homes with powerful connections to facilitate big downloads such as video, and mobile broadband when outside the home, for access to services which typically require lesser capacity. In addition, mobile towers typically also require their own fibre connections to funnel data back from wireless connections to the major fixed-line telecommunications networks.
Similarly, Jones referred to the fact that in May this year, some 25,000 households in early stage rollout zones would have their existing copper-based ADSL broadband and traditional telephone lines switched off due to the completion of NBN fibre infrastructure in those areas. “We’re now told that by May 24 this year, at least 25,000 households who want to keep a telephone line or a cable internet connection, will have no choice, but to connect to this NBN,” said Jones.
However, it is not correct to state that residents in those areas will lose their telephone line and Internet connection. In fact, those residents will receive a significantly upgraded service, with their existing telephone services being brought to the NBN as a modern IP telephony platform and their broadband connections being upgraded to receive better latency and bandwidth courtesy of the NBN rollout.
At the conclusion of his statement, Jones asked Turnbull what his comment was. The full transcript of their conversation is available online.
“Well Alan I have to agree with everything you’ve said there. It is a very, very sorry – all you’ve done is state the facts,” said Turnbull. The Liberal MP did not correct or clarify any of the controversial statements which Jones made in his broadcast, but in general supported Jones’ sentiments in all of his responses to the shockjock’s questions.
In addition, in some areas, Turnbull added to Jones’ controversial views. For example, he alleged that the Labor Federal Government had embarked on the NBN project “without any idea of how much it will cost”, and that the NBN project had “no budget” and “no cap” on spending.
However, analysis of the process by which the current NBN project was developed by the then-Kevin Rudd-led Federal Government from 2007 has shown that the project was extensively examined and researched by key members of Federal Cabinet before it was approved. In addition, NBN Co’s own predictions about the cost of deploying the NBN broadly proved accurate within the bounds of normal project governance, between the company’s several corporate plans released in 2010 and 2012, despite the fact that a number of major underpinnings with regard to the project — such as NBN Co’s relationship with Telstra and its responsibility for greenfields estates — changed dramatically in that time.
In general, the Opposition has made a number of inaccurate statements about the NBN over the past few years which have been picked up by various segments of the media. For example, last year, speaking on Channel Ten’s Meet the Press program, Nationals Leader Warren Truss made a number of major factually inaccurate statements about the project, as detailed in this article by Delimiter at the time. In addition, Truss had previously made a number of inaccurate statements about the NBN over the past several months.
In June last year, in another example, Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey inaccurately claimed that 4G mobile broadband had the potential to be “far superior” to the fibre technology of the NBN. In mid-May, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott misrepresented the cost of connecting to the NBN, in comments which the Government claimed represented a deliberate attempt to mislead the Australian public on the issue. Turnbull similarly made a number of factually incorrect statements on the NBN throughout March, and in January Abbott got quite a few facts about the NBN wrong in a radio interview.
Turnbull has regularly repeated over the past several months the claim that the NBN could could cost as much as $100 billion to build, despite the company’s own estimates showing that it will require around $37 billion of capital injection from the Government and eventually make a return. Turnbull has not provided evidence to back the $100 billion claim.
opinion/analysis
Look, I would like to give Malcolm Turnbull the benefit of the doubt here. I really would. Regular Delimiter readers will know that I have long favoured Turnbull as preferred Liberal leader due to his economically conservative but socially liberal values (which match my own), and my respect for much of the work he has done in his varied career. Turnbull is one of the few Federal Australian politicians who I have recently had any respect for.
However, it’s hard not to see Turnbull’s performance on 2GB this morning as anything other than a highly cynical attempt to sway Jones’ conservative audience with a lot of standard NBN rhetoric.
On the one hand you can understand this — Turnbull is attempting to ‘dumb down’ his message about the extremely complicated NBN situation into the sorts of sound bites which represent a common narrative for the audience which Jones commands. You know the sort of thing I’m talking about: ‘White elephant’, ‘stop the boats’, etc.
However, from my point of view, Turnbull’s behaviour this morning, in not addressing any of the highly contestable statements which Jones made (representing a ‘rogue’s gallery’ of NBN misconceptions) represents a failure of conscience on the part of the Member for Wentworth.
Turnbull is fully aware that the future of Australia’s telecommunications needs does not rest on the shaky shoulders of our wireless networks. He is fully cognizant of the fact that those Australians having their copper-based broadband and telephone lines shut down will not have any reduction in service delivery as a result of that move, and that they will in fact see a significant upgrade in the services they receive.
As an informed and intelligent individual who has researched the dynamics of the NBN extensively and enjoys close links with Australia’s major telco heads and industry thought leaders, Turnbull is aware that the NBN is not the image which Jones made it out to be. The project’s concept is sound, even if its delivery has not been, and Turnbull is also aware by this point that he will shortly be grappling with many of the same delivery issues in Government that he has criticised so harshly in Opposition. Much, perhaps most of the NBN policy superstructure will be ported into the Coalition’s own NBN vision as it takes power in September.
For Turnbull to simply sit in front of Jones while the radio shockjock makes disputed statement after disputed statement with regard to the NBN represents a failure on the Liberal MP’s part, not because of misleading Jones’ audience (I think most would be aware that they don’t get ‘the whole truth’ on any issue from the shockjock), but because it represents a beggaring of Turnbull’s own intelligence.
It must gall Turnbull personally to sit through this kind of experience. To sacrifice his powerful intellect in this kind of situation, for populist appeal that neither he, nor the Liberal Party under current polling, needs in order to win Government, is nothing less than demeaning. And in fact it is easy to feel this tension — between Turnbull’s intellect and Jones’ conservative dogma — in the interview this morning. Neither party sat comfortably with the other.
Right now, I don’t so much feel outrage about Turnbull’s interactions with Alan Jones on 2GB this morning. Instead, what I feel is a great sense of loss; loss of Turnbull’s intellect from the great public debate which Australia used to enjoy; and a sense of pity to see a mind as brilliant as Turnbull’s brought low, to the level of panhandling in the street for votes at the lowest common denominator. I dread the day that I should ever have to sacrifice my own mind to such interests.
Far better that we go back to debating the cost of NBN Co’s internal coffee machines. At least there was some intellectual (mathematical) rigor to that particular discussion.
Alan and Malcolm’s future home –
http://lnk.nu/constructionphotography.com/2d80.jpg
Look no wires!
Yes, wireless is the Emperors new internet and Malcolm is one of the weavers now.
There is another word which often goes after weaving…
Time to get over the Turnbull crush Renai. I prefered MT as prime minister.
He seemed to be a smart, articulate, slightly less conserative Liberal leader.
I think his performance since Abbott because leader has been absolutely disgusting.
For someone who stood up for an ETS despite his parties wish I find his current behaviour is unforgivable.
Let’s call a spade a spade. He is lying and misleading the Australian public, saying things he doesn’t believe in himself, or for political gain. He is worse than Abbott. At least Abbott’s nature is he is a liar and will do anything to get into power. It’s who he is and I doubt he has the morals to do otherwise. Turnbull could and should be better than this. Why do it? It’s not like he needs the job. I’d rather resign than compromise myself like he does. It wouldn’t feel good to go into retirement and look back on your career and have to admit that your primary roll during this period was professional liar.
For those who like the idea of Turnbull as PM, remember he comes in a package with all those ultra right wingers like Bernardi, Mirabella, Abetz and so on.
As a South Australian, I look forward to putting Mr. Bernardi as my absolute last preference on my Senate ballot.
People fall into the trap of thinking that certain idealists or alternative thinkers can shape the party. It tends to be the other way around. The party creates people who are capable of being powerful within the party.
“Time to get over the Turnbull crush Renai.”
Nothing’s going to convince me that either Gillard or Abbott would be a better PM than Turnbull. Rudd was about on par, I reckon.
…” would be a better PM than Turnbull”
You missed the word potentially. MT has much more potential. At the moment he is taking great efforts to show he is towing the line. Will he continue to do this when in power and belittle his and all our intelligence?
Or is he simply just taking a few blows on the chin, waiting for the right time/numbers before he can start calling the shots?
I hate what it takes to be a ‘successful’ politician in this country. Backstabbing, belittling, name calling, show boating (all things you see in a high school playground) and lies, lies, lies (Rhetoric and spin are very sinister lies in my opinion – as it takes for granted your audiences ignorance/innocents)
Wish there was a better system, but it appears it IS one of the better systems in this crazy world we live in.
He’s a merchant banker with god knows how many skeletons in that little closet, with a modicum of charm, and stick out ears… and he follows Abbotts lines like a lapdog… whats to like, he is a politician, and has feet of clay. Anyone who lies down with a dog like Jones has fleas already…
I’m also one of those who used to have a lot of respect for Malcolm Turnbull. Since he’s been in this portfolio, though, he has shown himself as the man he really is: highly intelligent, charming, charismatic but also lacking in conscience and integrity. To me, he’s nothing but a wily fox who will do anything, no matter how damaging to the national interest, to get his party into government with the help of Rupert Murdoch, who wants to see the NBN destroyed. For a man of his stature to stoop as low as to agree with all the falsehoods these shockjocks spew at their moronic audience is, to me, incomprehensible. His soul must be crying out to the heavens! ‘What a waste of a brilliant mind’ is all I can say!
It was 2GB not 2UE
Cheers, fixed.
Hmm, so now FTTN isn’t the way…another flip?
No, he said it in agreement with a flip called Jones.
/sigh
It’s like Groundhog Day…I expect Malcolm will soon do a speech detailing the importance of honesty in politics and that people should stop hiding behind “sound bites”.
But like in Ground Hog Day, one day he will get it all correct and break out of this horrific loop.
Seems to me Turnbull just flops which ever way the wind is blowing.
Of course the more pertinent point here is that Turnbull wants to waste billions of taxpayer dollars ‘upgrading’ the copper network to FttN when wireless is the future? Seems someone forgot to send Turnbull that all important memo :-(
btw anyone else notice how Turnbull likes to reuse the words we’ve used to describe the coalitions ‘plans’ on Delimiter? First “zealot” now “thought bubble”. lol.
HC, no wonder the Delimiter FttN “yes men” refused to answer questions about FttN, in case it conflicted with MT and sure enough, it would have… AGAIN… GOLD
NBNAlex,
pipe down a little, will you? ;)
http://delimiter.com.au/comments-policy/
“Firstly, as before, comments must be more or less ‘polite’, as measured by Australian social standards. This doesn’t mean you need to maintain the sort of conversation level you would use with your mother. It just basically means don’t be rude to other commenters. You may disagree with their opinions, but you should respect their right to hold them.”
Renai
Renai, I put together a list of genuine FttN concerns and asked a number of NBN detractors/FttN fans to please, simply give me their thoughts on how the holes in the FttN plan, will be filled… and I was rudely ignored every time.
That doesn’t excuse the need to keep a civil tongue. And where is this list you mention?
Righto…
And here is the list you requested, which had been posted and asked before and since…
http://delimiter.com.au/2013/03/08/hands-off-nick-ross-conroy-warns-the-abc-and-the-australian/#comment-587193
If these people who support FttN at the NBN’s expense wish to be taken seriously and/or are here to discuss such issues rationally, why don’t they have the decency to reply to such questions and explain why we are wrong instead of nit-picking the NBN?
And you wonder why we get hot under the collar :(
NBNAlex,
I understand your point of FTTN inadequacies need to be discussed so that people understand FTTH is the only logical common sense approach.
However you forget who you are asking to answer the questions,
The liberals parties village idiot is leading the charge/party and are supported by Ray Hadlee and Alan Jones (and now Malcolm Tumbleturn Turnbull).
You would have more chance of teaching your dog to drive, than these idiots answering intelligent questions. Every liberal party idiot that owns an iPad thinks that wireless will solve the issue. We know better.
Being a qualified engineer, I know the failings in FTTN and wireless but unfortunately liberal party idiots with iPad’s have access to biased media.
Good luck in getting your questions answered.
+1
I take your point, mate, and I’m keeping a close eye on things, but make sure your own comments are polite etc.
Cheers Renai, I will try to keep my cool :)
Good luck building all the towers!
There’s already a bunch of hold ups with the NBN’s planned installations. How are the Coalition going to overcome these?
The bottom line is whatever final form the NBN takes, whoever builds it is going to strike the exact same labour issues that are currently being experienced. You still need the same people to do all the physical/civil works.
+1
I love the way that the NBNCo’s plan consisting of hundreds of pages of corporate documents and network designs is a “thought bubble” but somehow the rantings of an irrelevant old dinosaur about a technology he doesn’t understand are somehow a well thought out position.
I once thought like you Renai, about Turnbull’s intellect and integrity, but I have since found that he has none of these things, he is an imbecile and a fraud just like the rest of Abbott’s front bench.
*yawn*
If Wireless was the future then why did the Coalition Party struggle with finding a decent alternative broadband? OR sell Telstra in the first place when they could have provided Nation Wide services?
OR didn’t he state earlier that he had Telstra Cable at his home?
Turnbull, you not only a douchebag, but a liar.
And Politicians were suppose to be finding the best value for the tax payers money, not themselves.
Let’s not forget Malcolm has invested in French fibre.
Mobile broadband isn’t a replacement for fixed just an addition for when u go somewhere, it will never have download limits like fixed adsl or the NBN. Not even the speeds of fibre
We live in a holiday town where the population swells massively at Christmas, Easter etc.
Now the visitors bring their ipads, smart phones on holiday with them we are unable to get ANY internet over these times. Many residents have a choice between wireless … marginal at the best of times… or dial up internet and now the wireless is NON EXISTENT for days on end. And it is not just the residents and tourists who are let down. Some businesses are unable to function normally at this time too. If you want to know what a wireless future will be like Malcolm (or Alan ) go visit one of these coastal towns in peak time ( the situation is repeated up and down the coast you know )
Labor could run their whole campaign based on things LNP politicians have said on TV and radio and demonstrate their wilful dishonesty through denial and misrepresentation of undisputed facts and they would probably be quite successful. It’s one thing for voters to dislike Labor, but quite another to vote for a party they know has been deliberately misleading and deceiving them.
Well, I can hope, anyway… :-\
+1
Unfortunately Joe average voter, wont think like that. Even though they probably should.
Which is why voting shouldn’t be compulsory. Because joe average voter probably wouldn’t even vote.
I just cant understand why the Liberals are against the NBN when it will help the nation for atleast a hundred years.
smacks head on desk a multiple times…
Careful Tony, doing that too many times will cause irreparable damage and you will, err, say things like AJ ;)
I guess you are correct I should look forward on Mally boy’s next move…..
Too many smacks on the head and you’ll start wanting to work as a DJ at 2GB and then be telling us wireless is the answer.
Of course Alan doesn’t like Malcolm. Malcolm is a threat to Tony, and because Tony sits very much in Alan’s circle of political backslappers…need I go on?
And Sathias, MT’s not an imbecile, just that episodes like this show how much he’s sold himself out to keep that whiff of power sitting on the front bench.
Hmmm…
Perhaps Malcolm will wait in the wings for PM Tony to slump in the popularity polls and do a Gillard?
Just puttin’ it out there.
Alan Jones’ listening audience just became that much dumber this morning. So sad.
… and just when we thought that completely impossible :(
What I have said before….
The Liberal Party DO NOT have an IT Policy.
All they know is how to criticise the efforts of others no matter how meritorious the efforts.
Sorry but they do not deserve to govern Australia and in my opinion Australia would be irreparably harmed if they do come to power..
Australia might as well just bend over and take whatever China or similar have for them if the Liberals come into power. Personally, I think with a FTTP NBN, Australia would stand a chance of becoming one of the top producers of technology innovators in the world. Imagine what we could come up with given the resources.
“It must gall Turnbull personally to sit through this kind of experience. ”
Nobody handcuffed him and dragged him to the studio and tied him to a chair and threatened to hurt his poodle if he didn’t endorse the abominable Jones’ nonsense. He’s willingly feeding the Jones audience’s prejudices.
I just don’t get this “Malcom’s so above all this, it must be awful for him.” If he’s so above all this, why does he do it? It’s the politics of “Say anything to get elected, even if it’s an outrageous lie.” People need to get over their worship of him.
Maybe he isnt, perhaps we are just giving him to much credit. After all he is just a banker who lucked out with some shares that he bought at the right time kind of like what he has done with the french FTTP, its not like he invented Ozemail.
Perhaps he does truly believe all of the bs that he and his mates are spreading.
Jones, what a fantastic idea!
Wireless is currently 8% of Australian data. Lets move the remaining 92% over to wireless.
Telstra will be happy (are they one of your sponsors?), although speed would be little better than dialup.
At least we will not need a large download limits…
“Telstra will be happy (are they one of your sponsors?)”
Well, they certainly used to be
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s1085792.htm
……stopped reading the article when ,without skipping a beat you started talking about the liberals taking power in September.Not a speculation an assumption…..any credibility straight out the window even if I do believe what you had written previously.Fail buddy.
Looks like you read 90% of the article then :D
*shrugs*
It’s the opinion/analysis section of the article, and my opinion is that Labor hasn’t a chance in hell.
@ Renai
latest odds, Coalition 1.08, ALP 7.30
Glenn,
You’ve have to be THE original ‘rusted-on’ ALP supporter to believe we won’t have an LNP party govt in Sept. Probably the most right wing and religious one in Australian history.
and “May God Help Us All!” to quote a popular phrase when that happens =/
Good governance is always something in the middle not to the extremes of either side.
Rinai,
If Malcolm is the intellectual giant you keep telling us, when can we expect him to level with the electorate? After he has squirmed his way into office? Or not even then, but it will still be alright because he is smart? Are you of the school that says in politics anything goes? Don’t you hope for a better standard?
If he gains office and then fails to deliver FTTN, will you be critical? Alternatively, when Malcolm’s Network is finished in three years as he promises, will this ecommunity evaporate? You’re not hoping to join his staff by any chance?
“If he gains office and then fails to deliver FTTN, will you be critical?”
You obviously don’t read Delimiter very often.
Yeah, clearly, who’s the Rinai character? I don’t think he works for this publication.
Whoever Rinai is, he should be sacked for bias journalisms. I’m planning to speak to the editor tomorrow about it.
Bias isn’t the issue. It’s failing to pursue the truth and hold politicians (especially clever ones) to account. Even when they aren’t given an inch, they take a mile.
While you may be critical of FTTN and the Opposition’s latest incarnation thereof, you seem to be content to let Malcolm mislead the electorate when he should (and does) know much better. And certainly more than his what’s-peak-speed leader.
Accusing me of not being critical of Turnbull, on an article which is wholeheartedly critical of Turnbull. Welcome to being banned from Delimiter. Sayonara.
Rinnai got himself into a lot of hot water.
Sounds like he’s about to run out of gas.
*You’re not hoping to join his staff by any chance?*
Renai has spent the last two years filling his blog full of inflammatory articles repetitively accusing Malcolm of “misleading the public”, “failing in his portfolio”, “lacking in integrity”, “dishonourable”, etc.
Conversely, Senator Conroy is apparently “a master of his portfolio” (despite botched FTTN tender, internet filter proposal, big red button, set-top box purchases, media law reform failures, NBN roll-out disaster, etc) and has “the best NBN policy in every single respect”, etc.
In return, Malcolm has called tech bloggers like Renai and David Braue “uninformed zealots”.
Yet, you think Malcolm will hire Renai to “work for him” (god knows doing what) if he gains office?
The warped logic on display by Delimiter commenters knows no bounds. This blog must be some kind of giant “in-joke” I don’t get.
Actually I took Conroy to town on the Internet filter crap, an experience I don’t think he would care to repeat. I encourage you to ask him what he thinks of that someday.
Circa 2010, in Conroy-verse, I was public enemy #1.
The worm turns.
“If he gains office and then fails to deliver FTTN, will you be critical?”
Since he agreed 100% with Mr Jones that a wired roll-out was simply a waste of money and wireless was THE future of the NBN, should this be interpreted as colaition policy to abandon the FTTN as a complete waste of money or is he still committed to wasting money on an FTTN system regardless of the CBA is handed in 6 months after halting the FTTP rollout?
I am more confused by what coalition policy is the more they talk about it.
On a positive note, since the mobile networks already cover a greater percentage of the population than were promised fiber, Turnbull will be able to declare teh NBN complete the day after the election.
This will certainly be faster than Labor plans (zero time) and cheaper than Labor plans (zero dollars spent) and will be better (for mobile operators) so all three pillars of his promise will be kept.
Turnbull did not just “sit through” this, he personally attested that every single word was true at the end of it.
That goes far beyond deceit by ommission, it is outright and intentionally lying.
There will be no NBN under Liberal, they’ve already started to show their hand(s). They’re testing all viable ways to form a huge excuse why not to continue it. You’ll be lucky if they honour existing work in progress let alone get any more real money spent on a broadband network for our future.
Turnbull has sold his a*se and Abbott is his pimp.
I don’t quite understand why you are surprised by MT’s behaviour, or for that matter, by any politician’s behaviour. Just as the main aim of business is to make a profit, getting elected is the name of the game for politicians. Don’t make a profit, no business, don’t get elected, no longer a politician.
In both examples, the worst types will do whatever it takes to achieve their goal. An MT is evidently one of the worst types.
I also wonder where our resident anti NBN supporters are? Perhaps, they’re waiting for the last script from coalition headquarters to charm us with their new wisdom.
+1
Wait, Turnbull’s back on the “wireless is the future” bandwagon? Next he’ll be repeating that old chestnut about having a policy that’s “fully costed and ready to go”.
Has it really been 3 months since Turnbull called for less lies and spin? Somebody needs to remind him that he has to become the change he wishes to see in the world.
lol, I’d forgotten about him saying that, what a classic, +1
From what information I have, Laser technology will be the future for all communications. NBN is really glass tubes instead of copper wire, both have a limited life. They will NOT last forever.
Can’t tell if you are being sarcastic or not.
Caveman glass razorblades are still sharper today than the finest blade from Gillette.
Maybe not forever but certainly much longer than the LED generating the laser beams.
Really? Lasers? I’d love to read up soon that – do you have any links to hand? Preferably ones that show that it could be rolled out nationwide within the next ten years or so and cover the range of applications that fibre might provide per the current plan.
No-one’s saying that fibre is immortal, but it will last a darn sight longer than the rotting copper we currently have, and will fill the gap while we’re developing the next tech evolution.
Lasers? Really? Can’t wait to see how that connects to my house or tablet…
Well IR does work…..up to about 100 feet and at 2400bps – exactly what is needed just to delivery 2GB (AND ONLY 2GB) to waiting ears!
:)
“Lasers? Really? Can’t wait to see how that connects to my house or tablet…”
Why with an optic fibre cable of course. :-D
Last time I checked a laser was only a single wave length light beam and I think this just might be what is being generated in an optic fibre communications system.
Turnbull, if the Libs are elected into govt, will shut down the NBN rollout and not put anything in its place, He is too glib like implying renegotiations with Telstra will be done in an afternoon or two, has no costings, nothing.
Nope, he hopes someone will run out a private FTTH in cherry picked areas so he can invest in it. The rest of us can go hang.
People project things onto Turnbull IMHO. Look at things like Rainmaker—that does not indicate a principled person to me.
I expect they’ll sell off NBN Co and hope the new owners continue the job (but without the ACCC breathing down their neck….Telstra 2 anyone?!), much like all the state Liberal govs have done with such things. They’ll then try and pin the blame “for everything” on the ALP for the following 12 months to 2 years and then they’ll actually have to face the reality of coming up with some actual policy that works.
Would be wise for someone to upload a recording of this interview/rant between Alan Jones and Malcolm Turnbull to youtube. Especially the bit about Malcolm saying that everything Alan said was correct.
People need to be reminded how false these people are, and show up there propaganda for what it is.
Regards
Spot on, +1
Have a read of this article in the Age.
http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/government-it/nbn-debate-full-of-erroneous-information-20130404-2h8m9.html
At least these comments are made by people who understand the technologies involved and who are educated and hold qualifications in some Engineering discipline. Also they aren’t politically motivated.
As an Engineer myself, I am tried of reading and hearing all these people shooting their mouths off who really don’t understand the technologies involved, yet proclaim to explain to all and sundry that they know. Well you don’t know and you are just shooting your mouth off without any technical data or understanding of the technologies involved to backup your false claims. You get away with it because most people in the community don’t understand these technologies and they believe what they are told by those who profess to know. Unfortunately those that profess to know really don’t know and those of us that do know are rarely consulted to asked to valid these fault claims and comments.
The people making these false claims need to be taken to task over their comments and claims, so that the public know what is the actual truth and what is just made up BS. But wait, that would move this whole debate out of the political arena and into the harsh reality of fact and not fiction.
Journalists could do this if they consulted Engineers in the relevant engineering disciplines.
The IEEE has member Engineers in all areas of Technologies such as:
Aerospace
Bioengineering
Communication, Networking & Broadcasting
Components, Circuits, Devices & Systems
Computing & Processing (Hardware/Software)
Engineered Materials, Dielectrics & Plasmas
Engineering Profession
Fields, Waves & Electromagnetics
General Topics for Engineers (Math, Science & Engineering)
Geoscience
Nuclear Engineering
Photonics & Electro-Optics
Power, Energy, & Industry Applications
Robotics & Control Systems
Signal Processing & Analysis
Transportation
There are many IEEE member Engineers in Australia.
See:
http://www.ieee.org/
Anyway regardless of what you think about the NBN or your politics, the real facts need to come to light in this whole debate.
I’m not going to make any personal comments about what I think about the NBN or my politics. What I do want is for the BS to stop and for the facts to come to light about the technologies involved. Lets take the politics and personal bias out of this debate and get down to facts and not fiction.
What a fool!! FIBRE is the future for FAST broadband at home. Wireless is ONLY good for mobility and small amounts of data.
NBN MUST be FTTH or else it’s a huge waste of time/money!
It’s like building a 16 lane super-highway into sydney, then it all convergis into a single lane dirt track….can you now see the bottleneck!!!!!! You doofus ministers!!
lol. Sounds like the Sydney M4
Freeway into Sydney. Then helicopters from Sydney to your suburban home.
There is your bandwidth problem right there. Not enough airspace for everyone to use their helicopters all at the same time.
And the running costs for users to use their helicopters!
Let Malcom try and upload 2gb of photos to HIS photo lab using wireless and see how he likes it.
I am lucky to have pretty fast ADSL2+ and it still takes forever. Would hate to try it over a wireless connection.
For business’s working from home like myself there is no choice…..it has to be FTTH.
Wake up Malcom.
I thought Turdbull was the only decent member of the opposition, how wrong was I?
Anyone that agrees with Alan Jones is even more stupid than Jones himself.
Renai, I’m sorry, but Turnbull has jumped the shark.
;)
Now for some interesting claims
http://www.news.com.au/national-news/nsw-act/the-ninety-billion-nightmare-the-real-cost-of-the-nbn-rollout/story-fndo4bst-1226614471419
Sorry mate but it looks like a set of figures put together and publicised by rusted on supporters of the Liberal Party. Any truth that didn’t coincide with the political purpose would automatically be left out.
Of course, justifying the real cost of the alternative – see 40Bill nearly 1/3 the price.
However the costing is based on a Macquarie Bank Report which will be hammered. Anyone able to link to the report to see the basis of the costing and the assumptions made, and what recognition is given to the factors such as Telstra’s delaying whether intentional or otherwise is having the major impact on the issues being faced
Didn’t anyone forward the whitepaper on Nascent Tachyon Grid communications to Alan Jones and Malcolm Turnbull?
This stuff will blow the current wireless technology out of the water. It is the future in communications, right here, right now!
I believe there was mention of the whitepaper getting released on April 1st.
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