Mike Quigley to join NBN election debate

141

news The founding chief executive of the NBN company, Mike Quigley will publicly discuss the history of the National Broadband Network as well as the various options for its future, in a major speech to be held just over a week before this year’s Federal Election on 2 July.

Quigley, an engineer by background and a former senior executive at French networking firm Alcatel (now part of Nokia) was appointed to lead the NBN company from April 2009, when it was created by the then-Rudd Labor administration, with a mandate to deliver a near-universal Fibre to the Premises network, supported by satellite and wireless technology in rural areas.

The executive then led the NBN company until the 2013 Federal Election. At that point Quigley retired.

Throughout his period leading the NBN company, Quigley emerged as a strongly positive force pushing the virtues of the FTTP technology which Labor set as the initial model for the NBN.

During the 2010 election campaign, for example, Quigley strongly attacked the Coalition’s rival NBN policy, which would have seen the NBN project largely abandoned.

And throughout the years since, including after the Coalition took power in 2013, the executive has remained strongly in favour of the original Labor model for the NBN.

In November 2015, for example, Quigley released an extraordinarily detailed and highly referenced document analysing the NBN company’s costs, to back up a claim he had made at the time that an up-to-$15 billion blowout in the cost of the NBN was due to the controversial Multi-Technology Mix approach imposed on the project by the Coalition.

The University of Melbourne has now revealed that Quigley will give a free public lecture on 22 June on its campus, in collaboration with the Telecommunications Society of Australia which Quigley has previously collaborated with.

The event promotion states:

“Only three short years ago, the National Broadband Network was a main focus of the federal election as each major party campaigned their vision of Australia’s connected future. This coming federal election has seen less talk of the NBN perhaps as Australians have become disillusioned over promises made versus what has been rolled out.”

“Yet the impact of the NBN on the future of Australia’s connectivity, technological developments, and networked society remains an important topic.”

“In this free public lecture, Mike Quigley, NBN Co’s first employee and CEO from July 2009 to September 2013, will reflect on the ups and downs of the NBN project during the last seven years. He will then consider the pros and cons of the various options to complete the NBN.”

Quigley’s intervention in this year’s Federal Election campaign comes as it remains unclear to what extent the NBN will be a key issue in this year’s poll.

Earlier this month, Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said she had seen “incredible” interest in the National Broadband Network issue as she travelled around Australia on the election campaign trail, delivering Labor’s message that Malcolm Turnbull had “dropped the ball” on the project.

And the NBN shot into the headlines over the past several weeks following the revelations that the Australian Federal Police had raided the offices of Labor Senator Stephen Conroy and the home of a Labor staffer, seeking to track down NBN whistleblowers leaking sensitive internal documents.

The NBN was again in the headlines over the weekend, after current NBN chair Ziggy Switkowski published an extraordinary defence of the company’s actions.

Labor has written to the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Martin Parkinson, requesting that he investigate what Labor said was a breach of the Caretaker Conventions during the Federal Election.

However, the NBN was barely mentioned during last night’s hour-long debate between Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, indicating that neither felt it was an issue they wanted to bring up.

opinion/analysis
I have a deep and abiding respect for Mike Quigley, and I know that many readers do as well. I would encourage anyone who is available in Melbourne to attend this talk. I will personally be attempting to attend, time permitting.

Image credit: NBN company

141 COMMENTS

  1. ” I will personally be attempting to attend, time permitting”
    That would be really awesome :)

  2. Won’t his speech be withheld from public due to media blackout? Or will he get in before then?

  3. It’s all Labor’s fault I believe the Liberals firstly sold our assets then they laundered all our money to Telstra. With no chance of fibre now let alone an economy. I say class action against these vandals.

  4. “This coming federal election has seen less talk of the NBN perhaps as Australians have become disillusioned over promises made versus what has been rolled out.”

    I wonder why? Perhaps he’ll discuss this slide:
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/2cpmjufh576l5ch/brownfields-actuals-v-forecast.pdf?dl=0

    Hopefully he’ll cover his “remains on time and budget” pre-election mantra when his CP’s budgeted FTTP ~$2300 CPP compared to “NBN Co’s internal costings in 2013 of $3,900” (no JK, on re-reading doesn’t include $700 Telstra payments), and rollout performance highlighted above missing forecasts by miles.

    Perhaps ask him why that figure and NBNCo’s CP2013-16 were withheld from the electorate until after the 2013 election?

    Why does he always reference estimates from his period of tenure and not actuals when 4.5 years of data available?

    • “Perhaps ask him why that figure and NBNCo’s CP2013-16 were withheld from the electorate until after the 2013 election?”

      I’m glad you don’t get to dictate his talking points. Why don’t you rock up (if you’re in Melbourne that is), and ask him yourself? He’s always been pretty forthcoming. Lay your rhetoric on the table with him and see what he says.

      Heck, I’d be happy to ask for you, but disappointingly I’m in Brisbane so I can’t make it.

      • Why don’t you rock up (if you’re in Melbourne that is), and ask him yourself?

        I doubt RR would be able to overcome the jealousy he feels for Quigley to attend…

    • Lol Richard
      Page 10 on Quigley pdf
      LNDN $1731
      CC $1375
      $3106
      Duct lease $755
      $3861

      I surggest you need to re re-read

      • You’re right, P1 keeps tripping me up:
        “The average cost per premises for FTTP Brownfields in the new Corporate Plan, August 2015 is $3,700iv, or $4,400 including $700 lease costs, which is slightly higher than NBN Co’s internal costings in 2013 of $3,900.”

        • Wrong Richard, even if we use your numbers the CPP is really:

          $2,600 (FTTN) + $3,900 (FTTP) = $6,500

          because FTTN is a short term already obsolete band-aid!!!!

          • So no revenue? Not earlier?

            FTTN/B cost recovery has been modelled (capex+opex-revenue) by myself. You’re welcome to provide your own.

          • DO,

            Wrong because no one knows what the upgrade increment CPP from FTTN to FTTP is until they need to do it, in whatever future timeline it takes place.

            Nice smoke and mirrors effort though, you should make yourself available as key advisor to Labor NBN policy 2016.

            Plenty of time to get your application in, they haven’t started it yet.

          • @Derek O

            One thing I’m curious about, is why isn’t the $15 billion increase due to the switch to FttN that was identified by Mike (and admitted to by Malcolm) added to the CPP of FttN like the LNDN was for FttP?

            That’d increase the CPP for FttN by….what? $3,333ish? (given $15b and 4.5m on FttN).

          • “So no revenue?”
            Obviously not, now that nbn is providing negative ROI due to the new failing technologies.

            ” Not earlier?”
            Obviously not, now that nbn over halved its rollout estimations – 1 year difference to the original FTTP plan hardly counts.

          • “Wrong because no one knows what the upgrade increment CPP from FTTN to FTTP is until they need to do it, in whatever future timeline it takes place.”
            Except the costings for that exact scenario was provided in CP16.

            How embarrassing for you, Alain.

      • Perhaps you could tell us the source of the data and what all the blurry coloured lines actually tell us oh wise one?

        • Do you need a hug Reality?

          Seriously though, I must have missed whatever Tinman did to upset you so. He appears to be the new Rizz… Waitaminute….

        • @Reality Richard understood what it means (not sure why he deleted his post?).

          4MKY is the Mackay 2 CSA

          Haven’t you got a copy of the 3-Year-Construction-Rollout-plan-to-30-Sep-18-AS.xlsx?

          • Yes I understand you can copy and paste the NBN techno jargon so it looks as if you understand, but explain from the graph info how deployment times FTTN vs FTTP are comparable, especially as FTTB and FTTP are combined.

          • You’re complaining about techno-jargon on a tech site? Really? If you don’t understand it, why do you argue about it so much?

          • Why are you avoiding the question?

            Which was.

            but explain from the graph info how deployment times FTTN vs FTTP are comparable, especially as FTTB and FTTP are combined.

          • I already did. The “all the blurry coloured lines” are CSA’s and the source of the data is from the nbn™ build data (as the link actually states).

            Is this actually going somewhere constructive, or are you just acting dumb to try and setup a “gotcha”? And here I was thinking you were asking a genuine question :(

          • Tinman_au,

            I already did.

            No you didn’t, you just copied and pasted the twitter link, are you hoping one of the band of brothers will explain the significance of it if you stalled long enough, obviously not eh?

          • “NBN techno jargon”
            You know, you’d think given the shilling you do on their behalf you’d at least understand their speak.

          • Tinman_au,

            Richard already explained it……

            I see, a duck and a weave followed by a handball, “nothing to do with me anymore”.

            LOL

          • Lol devoid I am still waiting from your duck and weaving to prove that the SR FTTP CPP is not higher than the CPP in the CP16

          • Ok, Ok, I guess you can’t work it out your self. I thought you were playing games again ;o)

            It shows the build time for FttP and FttN are actually comparatively the same, and that the truism from Malcolm that “FttP takes longer to build” is a furphy.

            Would you like me to explain where babies come from now? :o)

          • No it doesn’t.

            And there it is :o)

            Explain to me why Alain? Explain to me why 5mcf-01 (an FttP build) is faster than any FttN build, how do you explain that?

            Is it because of delays to the FttN? (like Richard says), or could it be because it really is a furphy?

            There have been delays after all https://twitter.com/DCoopes/status/737067354077548544

            At least they’ve found a permanent solution to “fix” the delays https://twitter.com/jxeeno/status/737503846209978368

            Not a good look however you come at it, but I expect you can polish it somehow.

      • Coopes has made some great contributions, including NBNCo’s speed forecasts response to senate estimates. His link the basis of this analysis:
        https://www.dropbox.com/s/he6dtqmfci8fg1a/speed-actuals-v-forecast.pdf?dl=0

        FTTP customer average provisioned speeds forecasted to continually increase from 35.44mbps (FY15) to 50.24mbps (FY22). However actuals show a continual decrease from 39mbps (FY13) to 33.15mbps as of March 2016. FTTN also significantly underperforming (-14.56% below forecast), devastating for revenue.

        The chart linked shows time from build contract issued to RFS, however it doesn’t show the scale possible with the alternatives (qualified staff, labour required, avoiding entering premises, …) nor the cost differential. Most (including Quigley) acknowledges the rollout advantages (cost and time) of FTTN/B and HFC. Again argue the additional cost and time is worth it (FTTH), but claiming equivalence is silly.

        • FTTN also significantly underperforming (-14.56% below forecast), devastating for revenue.

          As I and others predicted more than 3 years ago!!

        • So Richard the chart shows ATM that it’s taking FTTN to connected copper wires to the node is just as long as it would take the lay FTTP to the house. You did say there was only 9 sec difference per premise

          • So the the start from build contract to RFS isn’t the same?

            But then it also doesn’t show booking oup power delays either

          • No it isn’t the same.

            Graph does show FTTN scaling delays, since FTTN launch rollout more liner than exponential. Linear maybe enough to meet this years targets, but will need to continue to ramp-up for next (though HFC coming online at end of June).

            Performance of new vs old is stark.

          • Performance of new vs old is stark.

            Indeed, what was it? 36,190 after 2.5 years, I’m impressed!

          • The FTTN product released September last year is not 2.5 years, are you just rounding up?

          • The FTTN product released September last year is not 2.5 years, are you just rounding up?

            No, just using the same metrics you guys prefer.

          • tin true 36,190 FTTN activations reached by 31-mar-16 (or 2.5 years after LNP’s election). Yet FTTP activations reached 36,294 activations 6-oct-13 (or 6 years after ALP’s election).

            9 weeks prior to 8-sep-13 NBNCo was activating 1,033 premises per week (passing 3,338 ppw). Last 9 weeks activating 11,031 ppw, (passing 26,890 ppw). An order of magnitude improvement in activations. Performance of new vs old is indeed stark!

          • Yet Richard not a single POI built for the MTM you would think they would have done some by now

          • And by the 31 of March they’d done 761,557.

            If your point is that building all the back end infrastructure takes time, then, yes, I agree with you.

            Otherwise, kindly state how much pre-build you think Mr Morrow and crew have done?

          • Tin_man,

            state how much pre-build you think Mr Morrow and crew have done?

            The most expensive portion of the CPP of any infrastructure build the link to inside the residence, for FTTN it was already there, the result of which as shown is fast deployment times and lower CPP.

          • Lol devoid
            With out the poi there is nothing to connect people to ISP is there. So far the MTM hasn’t built there own but using labor ones that where completed by the 2013 election.

            But then your link show that the ACCC locations of where the poi would be built and connected to. As a connection from NBN to an ISP.

          • “The POI and how many there are and where they are located is controlled and approved by the ACCC.”

            The question wasn’t those things, but you probably knew that.

            Typical evasion.

          • @Jasonk

            If I’m reading him right (it’s kinda difficult the way he jumps around), I think he’s saying the ACCC did the design, approval and build of the POI’s and that NBNCo didn’t have to waste any time building the infrastructure…or something?

          • The most expensive portion of the CPP of any infrastructure build the link to inside the residence, for FTTN it was already there, the result of which as shown is fast deployment times and lower CPP.

            Oh?? So once that “link inside the residence” connects to the node, where does the node connect to? It wouldn’t be the infrastructure that NBNCo spent several years building, would it?

          • Yeah I know how it works and….?

            If you know how it works, perhaps addressing the questions asked would be appropriate?

          • Tinman, why do you bother engaging with him when he will just spin and twist his way around arguments?

            Reality, Richard and others don’t care that NBN Co had to build a backhaul network, they don’t care they had to construct the PoIs, they don’t care that all of that happened in the first years of the network, why? Because it destroys their argument of X number connected under Labor thus Labor did “nothing” and look at how many the Coalition have connected. Whilst ignoring the fact the Coalition inherited a NBN Co with a backhaul network and PoIs already constructed and significant progress already underway in other areas.

            They are hypocrites who literally come here to just troll, why bother talking to them when they aren’t interested in real debate, only repeating the same lies and bullshit.

          • “Reality, Richard and others don’t care that NBN Co had to build a backhaul network, they don’t care they had to construct the PoIs, they don’t care that all of that happened in the first years of the network, why? ”

            Because they didn’t have to do any of those things. They chose to, another of their financially disastrous decisions.

          • See Tinman?

            Takes one thing I said, and twists it. Instead of addressing the point made that they continually praise the Coalition for their “progress” despite inheriting a company already rolling out a network with a backhaul network built, he instead chooses to claim about Labor “choosing” to do that in the first place.

            Ignoring the point I was making completely. This is why engaging with them is pointless, they spin and twist words and arguments around to avoid actually discussing what people are actually saying.

          • “Takes one thing I said, and twists it. ”
            Directly addressed your claims and exposed it for the tosh it was.

            The feeble minded believe they should dictate what others write;-)

          • Richard
            How about say it without the abuse and bile. You complain about being treated as such yet you do it to others.

          • “Directly addressed your claims and exposed it for the tosh it was.”

            Wrong. You took part of a statement, and made a strawman out of it.

            I was discussing the “tosh” that Coalition supporters spout about all the milestones the Coalition has done over its time with the NBN, while conveniently ignoring the fact they walked into a situation where NBN Co was already established.

            Yes, Labor didn’t ~have to~ create NBN Co, but they did. Because they did, they then built a backhaul network, and all the PoIs. Whether that was a good decision or not? I am not discussing, but you decide I AM discussing that.

            Kindly piss off.

          • The feeble minded believe they should dictate what others write;-)

            Obviously your argument isn’t as strong as you’d like to think it is if you need to resort to tactics like this…

            Oh, and nice bile (though you don’t do that, do you).

          • Takes one thing I said, and twists it. Instead of addressing the point made that they continually praise the Coalition for their “progress” despite inheriting a company already rolling out a network with a backhaul network built, he instead chooses to claim about Labor “choosing” to do that in the first place.

            Oh, I agree with you R0nin, people like Richard are only interested in themselves.

            The “feeble minded” that Richard refers to are those that actually believe his made up numbers from SR13 (and CP16 as they use the same assumptions, as, and I quote from CP16, “no better estimates exist than the assumptions applied in the Strategic Review dated December 2013.)

            His raging at everything and everyone else just shows how weak his position actually is.

          • @R0ninX3ph said “See Tinman?”

            Yes, yes I do.

            R0ninX3ph said: “NBN Co had to build a backhaul network…had to construct the PoIs, they don’t care that all of that happened in the first years of the network”.

            Richard said: “Because they didn’t have to do any of those things.”.

            And this is the real gem, Richard obviously believes “magic happens” and networks create themselves.

            Stand by for “abuse and bile”™

          • After the 2013 election? Dark purple plateauing much sooner than that (not surprising, follows design and build; why they dropped RFS and went with irrelevant construction commenced metric).

          • Have to agree with HC, it only seems to plateau after the Libs took over? or am I missing something?

          • Tinman
            i know first you have to read it fully to break it down and then try and translate every meaning from every word

          • Richard, are you looking at the same chart as everyone else? That chart literally shows that the FTTP ramp up never occurred, BECAUSE of the Coalition getting in and not signing new contracts.

            Unless there is some magical reason why RFS went flat in 2014.

          • The dark purple area doesn’t show falling growth before Mar-13? When rollout was meant to be ramping up it was falling (plateauing).

            Comparisons with FTTN RFS’s dark red welcomed;-)

          • Pretty steady growth of RFS FTTP up until March 14. AKA, Contracts being fulfilled signed under Labor. After that it essentially flatlines. Who was in power after September 13? Oh…. right… The ramp up never happened because it was binned.

          • You need help reading a basic chart? No wonder my charts aren’t analysed. How can we make it simpler?

            You believe the slope of dark purple Mar-12 thru Nov-12 is the same as after Mar-13? Except for a brief run Mar-14 thru Jul-14 the slope returns to trend. The chart almost stalls after Mar-16, not surprising since FTTP have been superseded (shown by build areas of the relative techs).

            Any comments on the red line;-) (rofl)

          • “The chart almost stalls after Mar-16”

            Of…. course it does? Is this shocking? The Coalition have essentially all but finished rolling out FTTP except in Greenfields larger than 100 premises. You think there are that many Greenfields larger than 100 premises so that we will see a significant change in the dark purple area after they cut off the FTTP contracts after the election? You’re a nutter.

          • You believe the slope of dark purple Mar-12 thru Nov-12 is the same as after Mar-13? Except for a brief run Mar-14 thru Jul-14 the slope returns to trend. The chart almost stalls after Mar-16, not surprising since FTTP have been superseded (shown by build areas of the relative techs).

            Did you fail geometry at school?

            Seriously, the scale only drops after the LPA got in, what the heck are you on about?

            Why comment on the red line, there’s no way anyone could prove/disprove it (as it’s mostly futures) after the SAU changes anyway…

          • No wonder my charts aren’t analysed.

            Perhaps because you don’t supply the source data for your charts and the assumptions you make? Ever heard of “Peer Review”? I guess you feel you have no peers?

            Just a guess…

          • “Any comments on the red line;-) (rofl)”
            Yes. Given that it would have incurred practically half the overall cost, it should have been a purple line.

  5. Renai, Bill Shorten mentioned the NBN briefly as a point of failure of Turnbull saying it was not to cost or time. I thought he should have pointed out quality and future proofing but it was there
    He said there will be more released on NBN so labor holding fire till policy announcement

  6. Hehe I misread the title and thought it was about an actual debate (and thinking yup he’ll wipe the floor with the lot of them).

    I’m wondering if there will be a PODCast or something for all those of us who cannot make it to watch later? As much as I’d like to go (inc traveling from Adelaide) I flat out won’t be able to get time of work (mid week esp) that close to EOFY :/

    • It’s still very popular, but I’m not sure where it rates as an election issues (especially with the Libs fighting so hard to make sure it doesn’t become one).

      Classic, five weeks out from the election and we still have no Labor NBN election policy and according to you the Libs are the ones fighting so hard to make sure it doesn’t become one.

      Perhaps Quigley is going to announce the policy at the 22nd June lecture.

      LOL

      • “five weeks out from the election and we still have no Labor NBN election policy”

        I don’t have a problem with that…the country has decided what it wants, and if the ALP announce it the week prior to election, why is that a problem?
        I think it’s a good idea if they study the numbers for as long as they can prior to announcing…it is certainly preferable to what Turnbull did, make stuff up and apologize (sort of) after the election.

        • The problem with announcing it one week prior to the election is that some 4 million people vote early or by postal vote. I suggest the policy should be announced three weeks before the election or two weeks before at the latest.

        • Murdoch,

          You don’t have a problem with it because you are a one eyed biased Coalition MtM hater so anything Labor does or in this case doesn’t do is ok by you.

          If the Coalition were in opposition and we were waiting on their NBN policy weeks out from the election you and others would be protesting loud and often on what a complete joke they were.

          Labor apologists, their in your face blatant hypocrisy is always front and centre.

          • Errrrrr … were you talking to me?

            Because I’ve only posted once (well, this post makes it twice as of this moment) in here, and it has nothing to do with partisan politics. You might have me confused with someone else.

          • Lol devoid no we wouldn’t because we know it would be a lie.

            How’s that 25Mbps to all by this year policy going btw

          • Murdoch,

            ‘Errrrrr … were you talking to me?’

            Sorry, it should have been Chas.

          • I love how he immediately assumes people hate the Coalition. Clearly he “hates” the Labor party and anyone who says anything bad about the Coalition or their activities must be a dirty Labor supporter.

            Personally I have some pretty significant issues with the Coalition at the moment. Not least of which is the Right Wing Religious tendency that currently seems to hold sway.

            That doesn’t of course mean that I love Labor. In many ways they are just as bad as the Coalition. But ultimately I have to make a choice because we have a stupid 2 party system.

            My choice is currently On the Labor side. They will get my preference over the Coalition. They won’t get my primary vote though.

          • @Murdoch & Reality

            Kudos to reality, I thought he’d doubledown and make out you (Murdoch) were just a Chas sockpuppet or something :o)

          • Woolfe,

            That doesn’t of course mean that I love Labor. In many ways they are just as bad as the Coalition. But ultimately I have to make a choice because we have a stupid 2 party system.

            But here in Delimiter we are discussing NBN policy, if you are deciding your vote depends on NBN policy on what basis so far do you choose Labor over the Coalition?

            You are comfortable with the amazing detail that the throwaway line ‘more fibre’ has over the Coalition MtM?

          • You are comfortable with the amazing detail that the throwaway line ‘more fibre’ has over the Coalition MtM?

            Of course, we all need “more fibre”, it keeps your internals strong!

          • Reality,

            You can like a policy, and not blindly support the party. I disagree with a lot of Labor’s policies. But in the case of the NBN, I happen to disagree with the Coalition’s policy more. And yes I am aware labor hasn’t released a policy. But what they have said is more Fibre. Which by it’s nature means less copper. This is, IMO a good thing.

            As I have always done, I look at what is the best long term solution for Australia.

            The original Labor policy was better because.(And this is based on my thinking at the time)
            A) It was technologically superior, using a tried and tested product.
            B) A rollout was going to be necessary in any situation FTTP/FTTN, however it is clear that the industry standard was moving away from FTTN (which was only being used by incumbents) and towards FTTP. Which leads into C.
            C) This was a long term project looking to provide a basis for at least 50 years. In which case as FTTN was known to be in the last part of its lifespan, whilst FTTP is in its ealry prime, with all commercial operators building FTTP when they aren’t attempting to sweat the copper. Thus FTTP was the better long term solution. Ergo it would be stupid to build or buy a copper network instead of a fibre.
            D) The costings provided by the Coalition for their FTTN were incomplete, and when the elements that were available were compared with the equivalent elements in the FTTP plan, the financial difference was fairly insignificant across the life of the project. It is my opinion that Long term savings trump short term savings when it comes to a major infrastructure project such as this.

            Today my opinion is that we should stop whatever FTTN is being rolled out(Finishing what has been started), and immediately switch to a FTTP rollout. In theory the delay to swap back should be minimal, as NBN does still currently have FTTP rollout capability. Practice may not be as simple, but that is yet to be seen.

            HFC would really depend on what is occurring there, the information for which has been pretty light on the ground. If it is proving to be as successful as the various articles and pundits suggest then by all means continue with it. However where it is failing to meet standards, any replacement should be FTTP.

            Satellite numbers need to be dialled back, and the Fixed wireless footprint reduced where applicable.

          • “If the Coalition were in opposition and we were waiting on their NBN policy weeks out from the election you and others would be protesting loud and often on what a complete joke they were.”
            And where WAS the Coalition policy prior to the 2013 election, Alain? You know, the one that said 25Mbps to some by 2020…

          • “anything Labor does or in this case doesn’t do is ok by you.”

            I’ve never voted for Labor in my life…

            You are once again mistaking rationality for political bias.
            I understand that you tend to think others are like you, but we really aren’t.

          • @Chas
            I’ve never voted for Labor in my life…

            Put me in for $100 on Reality being a LPA voter ;o)

          • “Put me in for $100 on Reality being a LPA voter”

            Nobody is going to take your bet, nobody is willing to lose $100 ;-)

    • Classic, five weeks out from the election and we still have no Labor NBN election policy and according to you the Libs are the ones fighting so hard to make sure it doesn’t become one.

      Why do you think it’s so urgent? It’s not like the LPA have released all their policies either, what makes you so worried the ALP haven’t released that specific one??

      Perhaps Quigley is going to announce the policy at the 22nd June lecture.

      And why would he? He isn’t in the Labor party and wouldn’t be releasing Labor policy. Perhaps you’re also hoping Rear Admiral Bob Gargle will release some more ADF naval policy for the LPA so it looks better for them? It’d be about as relevant…

      Oh, and Lots Of Love to you too hon ;o)

      • Tinman_au,

        Why do you think it’s so urgent?

        Because Shorten said :

        Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has labelled the National Broadband Network a “key issue” for this year’s Federal Election,

        https://delimiter.com.au/2016/05/11/nbn-key-election-issue-labor-policy-coming-soon-says-shorten/

        The election is so close now many thousands have already voted and are voting every day until the election date, so getting the policy out there ASAP so voters have time to digest the content and decide if it is has merit is obviously not a key election issue after all.

        • Why are u getting so wound up about a political party’s election strategy? Not like it doesn’t happen every election… By every party …. They’re politicians remember ……. They don’t care what U and I think or hope. Take a deep breath….. Count up to ™ eleventy billion and cast your vote appropriately.

      • I’m touched that you are so concerned for the Labor party Reality. No, really *dries a tear*

  7. Interesting that former executives are not bound by caretaker conventions. If I was drafting their contracts, not interfering with elections would surely be right up there on the list.

  8. Mike Quigley
    The messiah returns, he will part the NBN troubled waters and caste out the wicked FTTN imposters.
    ALL HALE QUIGLEY

    • Rollout must be going swell then.

      Why hide it otherwise? They know it’s about to go to hell in a hand basket, which is why the leaks enraged them so much.

      • “Why hide it otherwise?”
        Maybe they want to surprise us, like a burning brown paper bag of turd on our doorstep?

        • The really dumb thing is, even if they do get back in (as the bookies seem to think), it’ll all blow up at some time…but end up being more expensive to fix.

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