Conroy attacks Turnbull NBN vandalism

Beverley Head
Wednesday, 03 August 2011 16:48

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

Communications minister Stephen Conroy has come out swinging at arch rival Malcolm Turnbull, once again accusing him of economic vandalism and warning that early regional adopters of the National Broadband Network could be slugged with much higher prices if the Liberal's alternative broadband network came to pass.

Speaking to media after an AIIA event in Sydney today Senator Conroy said; 'Malcolm Turnbull does not support cross subsidies. The NBN business case is based on cross subsidies.

'Malcolm Turnbull can say he would not rip the cable out of the ground, but he needs to explain what prices will be charged and how he would keep them down,' if cross subsidies were removed.

'Will he promise those 500,000 users there will be no price increases'¦because of his economic vandalism?' said Senator Conroy.

Not that the NBN has achieved that sort of user base yet.

Senator Conroy acknowledged that the NBN, the latest link in which will be switched on in Brunswick tomorrow, has not yet achieved a critical mass. He claimed however that 'the Australian public is firmly behind it' and that by the next election 1 million homes would be connected and 500,000 Australians signed up for NBN services.

The minister was speaking in Sydney at the same time as opposition communications spokesman Mr Turnbull was addressing the Press Club in Canberra and outlining the Liberal party approach to an alternative broadband network for the nation.