Coalition says Labor changing 98% broadband NBN promise

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Sunday, 18 January 2009 08:05

IT Industry - Strategy

Senator Minchin continued: "While Labor's firm promise is to deliver new high-speed fibre-to-the-node broadband services to 98 per cent of Australians, the experts have long said and the NBN bidders themselves have now confirmed, that this is nothing more than a naive Labor pipe dream, even with the Commonwealth subsidy.
 
"So if Labor still plans to spend the $4.7 billion, do the spokesman's comments indicate that it has now given up on delivering fibre to the node to rural, regional and remote Australians as promised?

“Does this pave the way for it to do what many have long suspected, roll out fibre in well-serviced and easy-to-reach metro areas until the money runs out?" Senator Minchin asked.
 
"On top of that, Labor will scale back the ABG and what tell rural, regional and remote Australians that 'even though we promised you fibre to the node broadband like the city, we've decided you can't have it and expensive wireless or satellite is good enough for you'?"
 
“By contrast the previous Coalition Government was to contribute $958 million towards a new, high-speed broadband network for under serviced parts of rural and regional Australia (OPEL), which was targeted for completion by mid 2009. Labor cancelled this project with no alternative to it and now also wants to scale back the ABG.
 
“Senator Minchin said these developments made urgent the need for Senator Conroy to release his expert panel's report which includes recommendations on bids for the NBN and is due on Wednesday (21 January).
 
"This report, as well as that of the ACCC on crucial competition and regulatory issues, must be released, with the opportunity for public comment before the Rudd Government makes any decision," Senator Minchin concluded.

Serious questions have been raised, but given the torturous path that has already been taken, clear answers from politicians seems as forlorn a hope as encountering an honest second-hand car salesman, true world peace, a sound gold-backed currency or an operating system that doesn't crash.