Abbott again slams 'rip-off' NBN project

As I have posted before over past years the NBN was always going to end in tears by the time it is finished the internet will only be secure enough for news and social networking and you can do that with our present system.

GBE January 3rd, 2012

... and you forgot, the earth is flat.

Beta January 3rd, 2012

It's sad all we get on the inevitable demise of the NBN black hole is an inane comment.

GBE January 3rd, 2012

The die has been cast for the biggest battle Australia has ever seen.

Senator Conroy has the gigantic task of delivering the promised NBN to the Australian people. The NBN is undeniably a superior system that would be of benefit to our Nation. It could be argued that the expenditure of the (probable) 60 billion dollar cost is excessive at this time and a satisfactory solution could be delivered by less costly means.

The stakes are high for all. If Senator Conroy delivers (has a large percentage of Australians happily on the NBN come next election) the damage to Tony Abbott will be considerable. It is a fact that the NBN is the best chance for Prime Minister Gillard to equalise, and possibly overshadow the Opposition in the minds of Australians.

To achieve the successful NBN roll-out Senator Conroy will need to remove all obstacles in its way, the first being to order the ACCC to expedite a decision to allow the Telstra/NBN Co agreement commence post haste. There is no time for procrastination or silly game playing the NBN machine must go full bore with Conroy pulling the levers.

sydneyla January 4th, 2012

"(probable) 60 billion dollar cost" Which orifice did you pull this figure from?

I am sick to death of misinformation and plain false information and reporting that is going on around the NBN, it seems that it's nigh on impossible for people to get the FACTS straight or even remotely correct.

FACTS people! Not made up BS! The sad thing is that people who should know better, like Turnbull (who's having his strings pulled by a moron who wouldn't know a fact if it slapped him across the face), keep peddling their own agenda in spite of the facts and reason.

I think the NBN Co. is doing a good job of trying to communicate but their message gets lost in the FUD and axe grinding noise from certain people and publications.

Who watched The Slap? Does anyone else see the resemblance between Abbot and the kid that got slapped? Abbot is like that kid, and the same thing needs to happen to Abbot, maybe a kick in the pants would be more effective... on second thought maybe not because that's where his brain is.

Jingles January 4th, 2012

This is blatant political point scoring by Abbott. As NBN Co have said, the current take up figures are academic. WHEN this 10 year project is complete, 93 per cent of Australians will be connected to fibre and the rest will have wireless available. The revenue stream to NBN Co will be ??? at best 100 per cent of the population.

My question is, why is Abbott pandering with such desperate comments? Maybe the Coalition are 'kicking the tyres' of the leadership positions?

omega January 4th, 2012

Jingles and omega why do you comment in such an insulting and amateur manner. My 60 billion dollar guess was based on the fact of historical cost over-runs. For example the estimated cost of the Sydney Opera House was 13 million while the actual finished cost was over 100 million.

Also you do not address the serious political aspect that will have great influence on the NBN and its success or failure. Your infantile descriptions of Abbott (a Rhodes Scholar) and Malcolm Turnbull (his business acumen and success speak for itself) is silly to the point of contempt.

Get real and understand the facts of the present position concerning the NBN possibilities. The situation is serious and attempted point scoring by resorting to childish name calling will not assist those who are attempting the NBN build. Listen to all opinions and respond with facts and sensible persuasive argument.

sydneyla January 4th, 2012

Please, please, please DON'T LET THIS IDIOT destroy our broadband future and doom us to be forever a third world country. We desperately need this given our isolation and distance from the rest of the world. Australia is a vast country and this will bring so much to those who live in the outback and it means that we no longer have to cram the vast bulk of our population onto the east coast.

ozguy2000 January 4th, 2012

Jingles your comment on Abbott and Turnbull are outrageous and identifies you as person full of hate and bitterness. Argue your point but don't descend into diabolical verbal lunacy and a bitter and twisted attitude that all sensible people would condemn.

sydneyla January 5th, 2012

Incidentally, what do those who argue for reasonably priced services think of the 1.4 billion dollar request from Mr Conroy on Telstra and Vodafone for renewal of spectrum use.

These proposed charges by Government will be amongst the highest in the world and will certainly not be conducive to cheaper prices for the Australian consumer.

sydneyla January 5th, 2012

Had all 35,000 premises been connected up on schedule, what is the bet that Mr Abbott would still have been claiming that $28,500 per premise was a "monumental ripoff"?

By the same logic, the first house to be connected to the NBN probably cost more than a hundred million dollars - all that money had already been spent, before just one house was connected! What a monumental ripoff! What a scandal!

snorbert January 11th, 2012

Hmmm - are you serious ??? Any knowlegable taxpayer knows that this is the greatest ever waste of public money that could turn Australia into a 3rd world country.

It is disgusting Labour politics at its worst - a total con by Telstra that was designed to maroon competitors DSLAM with "Fibre to the Node"
Dumb Labour got sucked into this "revolution", Conroy et al got voted in and then had to continue this charade.
It is a disgusting waste of money for nothing - ADSL and ADSL2+ all work perfectly. It is akin to building a 8 line highway from Broken Hill to Silvertown and 5,000 other regional towns that have 3 cars a day travel between them.
The only people who support this massive waste of money appear to have a vested interest in the project.
As Derryn would say, Shame people Shame

nub11 January 19th, 2012

I have been on cable internet for many years now, and recently had speeds increase fron 7mb to about 18 mbs. yes it cost me twice as much as ADSL2+, but those connections would be lucky to get 1.5 mbs. Bring on the NBN. $36 billion is a small price to pay, as the liberals would be able to sell the network at a very handy profit.

ozzie_robert January 20th, 2012