Tassie fibre laying JV misses out on first stage of NBN

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 24 September 2009 11:44

IT Industry - Strategy

Communications minister Stephen Conroy and Tasmanian premier, David Bartlett have announced commencement of work on the Cambridge to Midway Point section of the NBN in Tasmania, but a Tasmanian company championed just weeks ago by Bartlett is not involved.

According to a joint announcement by Bartlett and Conroy, the first stage of the Tasmanian NBN - a seven kilometre fibre optic link between Aurora Energy's Cambridge data centre and Midway Point is being laid "by local contractor Nu Energy, national contractor John Holland and international technology provider Marais Lucas."

Conspicuous by its absence is another local joint venture, launched by Bartlett early in September, between Abigroup Contractors and Tasmanian horizontal drilling specialist Apache Services (Tasmania).

Bartlett talked up the JV at the time, saying "Abigroup-Apache represents the first wave of new investment and job opportunities in Tasmania as a result of the optic fibre roll out...The Bellerive to Howrah fibre optic cable project has created local jobs and upskilling opportunities for local Tasmanians. As Abigroup is a registered trainer, workers will gain formal qualifications as well as valuable skills for future projects."

However that fibre was not part of the NBN, but a job for NBN partner, Aurora Energy. The horizontal drilling technology for the first stage of the NBN, known as 'Cleanfast' comes from Marias Lucas, a JV formed in 2008 between ASX listed Lucas Group and French company Groupe Marais SA "to introduce Marais' innovative one-pass, mechanised trenchless technology for installing telecommunications and energy networks to Australia," according to Lucas.

Announcing the company's role in the first stage of the NBN, Bartlett boasted, "Once again Tasmania is leading the way - this technology is the first of its kind to be used in Australia."

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