Labor’s NBN ‘rushed, chaotic’, says audit

[nero_bolt]

Shame on Labor for this $43 billion shambles

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/in-depth/labors-nbn-rushed-chaotic-says-audit/story-e6frgai...

It is a disgrace - a complete scandal - that the former Labor Government spent so many billions so lightly on such a dud scheme with such little thought:

 [A] landmark audit has found the policy process for developing Labor’s National Broadband Network was “rushed, chaotic and inadequate”.

... former Productivity Commission head Bill Scales has found the NBN Co set up to develop the high-speed internet network was given a job that only a “well-functioning, large and established” telecommunications company could do under the tight time­tables for the rollout…

Mr Scales said he was told that some of those involved in the first 12 months of the NBN Co were “making it up as they went”, while others related a “salutary anecdote” that, in the early days of NBN Co, ‘‘all we had (to guide us) was the press release and a bunch of business cards"…

The audit examined the original “Mark I” NBN policy — based on 2007 election promises by then opposition leader Kevin Rudd of $4.7bn public funding towards building a fibre-to-the-node network — and the vastly more ambitious $43bn Mark II policy that replaced it....

The [NBN Mark II ] plan got just 11 weeks’ consideration and “there is no evidence that a full range of options was seriously considered”.

“There was no business case or any cost-benefit analysis, or independent studies of the policy undertaken, with no clear operating instructions provided to this completely new government business enterprise, within a legislative and regulatory framework still undefined, and without any consultation with the wider community,” the report says.

 In other findings, the audit says full cabinet did not consider the policy until very early on the April 2009 morning it was announced, and its role was to “rubber-stamp” a decision by the strategic priorities and budget committee of ­cabinet.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/in-depth/labors-nbn-rushed-chaotic-says-audit/story-e6frgai...

[fourandsixpants]

Has $43 billion actually been spent?....or was this just the forecasted estimate on finished costs?.....and didn't the LNP/coalition 'change' and slash/burn the original NBN proposal to save money?

The neolibs hold the reigns and purse now.....don't they?

 the ALP have not been in power for nearly a year!! .....I mean we could go back much, much further and blame whatever political party was in power in the 1930's and blame them for the GFC . I cannot understand your angle at all.

[lightningdance]

I have fibre to the home and it's total rubbish, no faster the adsl2 and costs twice as much.

Thanks labor for your monolithic white elephant and thanks for all the billions it's going to cost when the fibre breaks down in about 10 years and will have to be replaced.

Thanks for the brutalising od Australians,  of public policy and loss of trust for the political process.

[lightningdance]

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@paintsew007 wrote:

Has $43 billion actually been spent?....or was this just the forecasted estimate on finished costs?.....and didn't the LNP/coalition 'change' and slash/burn the original NBN proposal to save money?

The neolibs hold the reigns and purse now.....don't they?

 the ALP have not been in power for nearly a year!! .....I mean we could go back much, much further and blame whatever political party was in power in the 1930's and blame them for the GFC . I cannot understand your angle at all.

---

What does this mean?, The neolibs hold the (reigns) sic and purse now.

Does it mean that the Abbott government was elected by the biggest majority since 1913 to implement their policies and remediate all the waste and policy failures perpetrated on Australians to the extent that now nobody trusts the political process anymore.

[lightningdance]

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@paintsew007 wrote:

Has $43 billion actually been spent?....or was this just the forecasted estimate on finished costs?.....and didn't the LNP/coalition 'change' and slash/burn the original NBN proposal to save money?

The neolibs hold the reigns and purse now.....don't they?

 the ALP have not been in power for nearly a year!! .....I mean we could go back much, much further and blame whatever political party was in power in the 1930's and blame them for the GFC . I cannot understand your angle at all.

---

Neolibs is an American descripter fo Democrats.

So if you mean Labor hold the (reigns) sic of power and the public purse??? well no.

[karliandjacko]

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@lightningdance wrote:

I have fibre to the home and it's total rubbish, no faster the adsl2 and costs twice as much.

Thanks labor for your monolithic white elephant and thanks for all the billions it's going to cost when the fibre breaks down in about 10 years and will have to be replaced.

Thanks for the brutalising od Australians,  of public policy and loss of trust for the political process.

---

Obviously you don't have NBN fibre to the home then as it's cheaper than ADSL.

Why do you keep saying that fibre only lasts for 10 years. Australia has plenty of fibre that's been around a lot longer than 10 years.

[monman12]

NW, we (CS)  have "discussed" the NBN at length in the past, sadly mostly along political lines here with no technical knowledge or appreciation of the economics involved.  It took me an age to prove to FN that Conroy had "blackmailed" Telstra into abandoning its copper, and HFC network and that it would be a State owned monopoly with the ACCC sidelined.

However, when the NBN announced  it eventually would return 7% (some chance),   it would compensate Telstra  $11 billion,  and with the explosive growth in mobile phone use and its technology, I bought a lot of Telstra's shares. (the share price has nearly doubled and  they are returning 14% FF, on the purchase price).

"A May 2013 Goldman Sachs analysis for NBN Co showed the government-owned company building the national broadband network would be forced to pay $98.159 billion in nominal pretax profits to Telstra between financial years 2011 and 2067."

The Circus were out of their depth with the  NBN and were dishing up a populist (it was/is a good idea though) pre 2007 election   feed of NBN grass to the flocks, at a promised  cost to the Australian federal taxpayer of about $5 billion by 2013   (some chance).

A lot of people, especially in  country areas need a NBN,  it is a pity that it has become  bogged down in a political morass.

[lightningdance]

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@karliandjacko wrote:

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@lightningdance wrote:

I have fibre to the home and it's total rubbish, no faster the adsl2 and costs twice as much.

Thanks labor for your monolithic white elephant and thanks for all the billions it's going to cost when the fibre breaks down in about 10 years and will have to be replaced.

Thanks for the brutalising od Australians,  of public policy and loss of trust for the political process.

---

Obviously you don't have NBN fibre to the home then as it's cheaper than ADSL.

Why do you keep saying that fibre only lasts for 10 years. Australia has plenty of fibre that's been around a lot longer than 10 years.

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Here, I'm reposting this as obviously you didn't see it the first time.

have fibre to the home and it's total rubbish, no faster the adsl2 and costs twice as much.

Thanks labor for your monolithic white elephant and thanks for all the billions it's going to cost when the fibre breaks down in about 10 years and will have to be replaced.

Thanks for the brutalising od Australians,  of public policy and loss of trust for the political process.

[karliandjacko]

How could I not have seen it when I answered it?

The NBN fibre to the home is a cheaper and superior service than ADSL. 

Australia has a lot of fibre that has been in operation a lot longer than 10 years.

Which point is it that you don't believe?

[cherry*135]

Thanks for the NBN Labor. Goes without saying a better service & faster than previous ADSL (not ADSL 2).

A much higher GB allce for $ value than before, monthly contract, no obligation to continue with same provider.

I have had it installed twice in diferrent homes since 2011 ( test area)4 months ago NBN  in current home under a Labor contract FTTP.

Complaining about it is futile. It is here to stay. The test area part of our town is NBN  only now (no copper wire services). The rest will be next year.

People who live in cities with a good choice of broadband services and providers and who pay less per month than regional and rural areas, should not resent these areas finally getting a decent broadband service at a lower cost than before. Also phone service, my last one via NBN cost $15 month ($30 credit). Prior to that the home landline cost $57.00 p.m.

My router for current NBN service was free. As I am on a monthly contract I am to return it post paid, if I cancel my service.

 Uni student daughter loves It. Complained bitterly while waiting for the NBN again in current house.

look to the future, not the past . Ask the people who have the NBN now and are much better of than they were before it.