NBN Co freezes spending, hiring

Renai LeMay
Tuesday, 24 August 2010 14:45

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

The National Broadband Network Company has put the freeze on some of its spending and will not hire any new staff until parliament has resolved its current deadlock over a new Federal Government.

In a statement issued this morning, the company (led by chief executive Mike Quigley, pictured) said in general it would continue to operate, as we as planning and using existing resources, but would seek to 'minimise any discretionary expenditure' in the current uncertain period. This story was first reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Labor and the Coalition are currently awaiting final election results and have begun negotiations with the independents and Greens MP who were elected over the weekend, as they jostle to attempt to form Government.

The future of the NBN policy is currently up in the air, with the Coalition having pledged to walk away from the project if elected '” although the independents have broadly emphasised their support for better bush telecommunciations in statements over the past few days.

NBN Co added today that it would not award any significant contracts or issue any new significant request for capability statements or proposals in the 'post-election period'.