Opposition bemoans “veiled in secrecy” NBN process

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Thursday, 22 January 2009 08:44

IT Industry - Strategy

After news came through earlier today that the NBN Expert Panel had released its report, which the Government says it will not release, the inevitable cry of complaint from the Federal Opposition has arisen, blasting Senator Conroy for the secretive process.

The NBN wars continue, and the Opposition strikes back!

Earlier today came the news from Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Communications, that the Expert Panel’s report had been released to Government, but wouldn’t be released to the public, the Opposition or anyone else.

Shadow Minister for Communications, Senator Nick Minchin, has hit back with a statement entitled “Public confidence in labor’s broadband tender process hits rock bottom”.

Claiming the process will remain “veiled in secrecy”, Senator Minchin’s statement continues: “While it is welcome news that Senator Conroy has finally received the advice and recommendations of his expert panel, his contemptuous attitude to keeping the Australian public properly informed about Labor’s single biggest election infrastructure promise is totally unacceptable.”

Senator Minchin stated: “This makes a complete mockery of Senator Conroy’s repeated claims that this would be an ‘open and transparent’ process, as it has been anything but.

“This process is simply too important to Australian taxpayers, with $4.7 billion at risk, to be conducted in secret by a minister who has botched it from the very beginning.”

The statement continues: “It is difficult to argue that this is truly a competitive tender process, after the exclusion of Telstra – Australia’s largest telco – on the spurious grounds that it failed to submit a small business participation plan as part of its proposal.”

Senator Minchin added: “Without the checks and balances of public scrutiny Senator Conroy is left to bumble along totally unaccountable.

“His argument that keeping the Australian public informed and providing an opportunity for comment will somehow prejudice this process is complete nonsense.”

Continued on page 2, please read on!