Opposition trying to trash NBN: Gillard

The Opposition is trying to trash Labor's $43 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) initiative because they don't understand what it means to the economy,according to Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.

Gillard said the NBN, currently being rolled out in Tasmania, is going ahead exactly as planned.

"The opposition showed in the election campaign that it didn't get what broadband could mean to our economy and our communities," she said.

"They are now trying to trash what's happening because their only strategy is a negative strategy - they don't have a positive policy."

Gillard, speaking on ABC Radio, said that in Tasmania, older Australians with health complaints can now have face-to-face consultations with their doctors without leaving home.

She said claims that the roll-out in Tasmania was over budget were "simply wrong".

She said the cost of the rollout was published in the budget and reproduced during the election campaign.

Gillard said opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull came into parliament with a lot of commercial expertise and he should use that to explain why the opposition had an $11 billion black hole in their election promises.

"Until the opposition can give a creditable account why that happened I'm not sure anybody should believe their assertions about figures."

In reply, self-proclaimed internet freak Mr Turnbull agreed that the internet was vital to Australia's future.

"The question is how do we deliver broadband across the nation, how do we deal with it in a way that is cost effective," he said.

"Our plan is to provide additional backbone where there is a lack of competition - largely to regional areas."

He said the opposition would provide subsidies to ensure regional and remote areas have access to broadband comparable to the cities.

Mr Turnbull also said the NBN would probably be worth only half the money spent on it when it is complete.

"What I say, and what most industry analysts say, that in fact what you will end up with is an asset worth a fraction of ($43 billion) - somewhere between one quarter and one half that investment."

• Bookmark this page
• Share this article
  •  
  • facebook
  • slashdot
  • digg
  • Reddit
  • stumbleupon
  • linkedin
  • twitter
• Got more on this story? Email Computerworld
• Follow Computerworld on twitter

• Share
  Share this article

  •  google+
  • facebookfacebook
  • slashdotslashdot
  • diggdigg
  • RedditReddit
  • stumbleuponstumbleupon
  • linkedinlinkedin
  • twittertwitter
• print
• email
• Bookmark