Conroy 'œa manifest failure' over Telstra NBN exclusion: Minchin

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 15 December 2008 03:58

IT Industry - Strategy

Australia’s Shadow Communications Minister, Senator Nick Minchin, has savaged the Rudd Labor Government and the Minister for Communications, Senator Stephen Conroy, over the “total ineptitude and mishandling” of the NBN process which has now seen Telstra excluded for a “remarkable” and “trivial reason”.

Thick wads of smoke are pouring out both broadband barrels just let loose by Senator Nick Minchin, the Shadow Minister for Communications, who like the rest of us has just learnt of the Rudd Labor Government’s decision to exclude Telstra from the NBN process.

It was only yesterday that Senator Minchin demanded that Senator Conroy avoid being coy on Telstra’s National Broadband Network (NBN) proposal making the cut in front of the broadband “expert panel”, but clearly no-one seemed to expect an answer this fast – or even this result.

The Shadow Minister has issued the following statement:

“The Rudd Labor Government’s exclusion of Telstra from the National Broadband Network (NBN) tender process on the most spurious grounds, is the latest example of the total ineptitude and mishandling that has plagued this process from the beginning, Shadow Communications Minister Senator Nick Minchin said today.

“Senator Minchin said the trivial reason dreamed up by the expert panel and the Commonwealth for Telstra’s exclusion, was quite remarkable.

“Telstra has been ruled out because it failed to provide a plan for how to involve small and medium enterprises in the building of the NBN when it submitted its proposal on 26 November.”

Senator Michin then specifically said: “From the beginning this process has been based on the flimsiest of foundations. The tender documents are so vague and open to multiple interpretations, they are not worth the paper they are written on.

“This has been compounded by the manifest failure of the Minister responsible Stephen Conroy to provide proponents with even a hint of clarity regarding regulatory non-negotiables,” continued the Senator.

The statement and Senator Minchin’s searing commentary continues sizzling on page 2 – please read on!