NBN Tassie gets directors - None in Tasmania

James Riley
Thursday, 13 August 2009 17:10

IT Industry - Market

The Australian Government has appointed the first four Board directors to the Tasmania NBN Company joint venture with the Tasmania Government and Aurora Energy – with more to come as negotiations between the partners mature.

And with the board appointees, the Tasmania NBN Company was finally registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Exchange and its constitution formally adopted.

Joining executive chairman Doug Campbell – whose appointment was announced by the Prime Minister last month – is former GM Holden executive director for corporate affairs Alison Terry; Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust director Jody Fassina; and Excentor Group managing director Greg McCann.

The appointments were made jointly by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett. None of the appointees reside in Tasmania.

Under its ASIC registration, Tasmania NBN Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mike Quigley-chaired NBN Company. The board of the Tasmanian company were confirmed at a meeting of the NBN Company board in Canberra today.

But on completion of negotiations with the joint-venture partners, the Tasmanian Government and Aurora are expected to take equity in the firm – and more three more board appointments are expected to reflect that ownership structure.

Premier Bartlett said the three further appointments would be announced shortly.

“The appointment of the Board shows that behind the scenes we are continuing to progress the roll out of what will be the most significant infrastructure project of the 21st Century,” Mr Bartlett said.

The first trenches for the Tasmania fibre roll-out will be dug from October and connections to the first premises will be made in December, the partners said, with services are expected to be available by July 2010.

Premier Bartlett and Senator Conroy will speak at a broadband focused session at the Australian American Leadership Dialogue Forum in Melbourne this evening.