News & Discussion: National Broadband Network

[serca]

Yeah I seen the media beat up on asbestos , they thrashed that. I know of at least 20+ people from one company that were informed they were out of a job in 4 weeks. Came to a surprise to all of them. Cost blow out is not so much due to the asbestos issue ......

[Dog]

It makes a change to hear these companies working on the NBN are struggling and not routing the system making obscene profits as usually happens on government contracts. Someone must be doing something right.

[monotonehell]

It makes a change to hear these companies working on the NBN are struggling and not routing the system making obscene profits as usually happens on government contracts. Someone must be doing something right.

From what I understand, the ones struggling are the second tier of subcontractors. All the standard routing is going on at the first tier.

[serca]

Nah Mono .... Not true! Thats why it was a "secret" the primary contractor for the NBN has already made a loss of about 30 Million....! Obviously there is a nock on effect and other companies are struggling. So yeah

[Dog]

As I said it makes a change when companies aren't making obscene profits out of these sort of massive government contracts. Someone's running a very tight ship.

[drsmith]

Regardless of its merits or otherwise, the NBN does seem to have problems meeting rollout targets.

It took two downgrades to forecast an achievable target for June 30 2013 and now this in relation to June 30 2014,

http://www.brw.com.au/p/tech-gadgets/di ... ovDpNRLUiO

[monotonehell]

Regardless of its merits or otherwise, the NBN does seem to have problems meeting rollout targets.

It took two downgrades to forecast an achievable target for June 30 2013 and now this in relation to June 30 2014,

http://www.brw.com.au/p/tech-gadgets/di ... ovDpNRLUiO

Much of the delay has been blamed on contractors’ inability to retain ­subcontractors, or hire skilled labour, as a result of poor rates or lack of ­construction work.

Like what we already knew.

[Vee]

Some sites related to the National Broadband Network.
Explaining, promoting the current FTTP model, comparison with the Coalition's alternative FTTN.

NBN explained - YouTube video by @buildthenbn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsM4MR26c28

Build the NBN on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/BuildNBN

I want my NBN
http://www.iwantmynbn.com.au/

- the facts (incl comparison table)
http://www.iwantmynbn.com.au/the_facts

I support 'fibre all the way' - 'do it once, do it right' FTTP (/H) for current and future needs, over a FTTN model with Node cabinets in the streets and ageing, costly to maintain copper in the mix.

Why can't we have bi-partisan support for vital nation-building infrastructure? Halting the current NBN rollout will create a digital divide between regions, towns, suburbs... and work against our competitiveness in the global digital economy.

[Dog]

NBN is probably the most important election issue to me, and goes to the heart of what I call good economic management. There is this widely held misconception that its Liberal governments that are the better economic managers.

Liberals always like to talk of economics in terms of pink batts, school halls, subsidies to the car industry, free cigarettes to refugees, these are light weight matters if you get the big picture wrong.

Labor has alway been big picture governments, implementing the tough decisions which over time are nation building not nation dividing.

People recognise Labor for social infrastructure, like minimum wage, Medicare, pensions, but liberals always fail to acknowledge that it was the Liberals that opposed floating the dollar, removing tariffs, free trade agreements, regulating our banking system, and most importantly compulsory super.

As a legacy of the Keating Labor government Australia now has $1.7 trillion (not billion) invested in Super this is already the 4th largest fund in the world and is actually the power house of our fast growing financial industry. This will grow further and more rapidly with super to be set at 12% (again opposed by the Liberals)

The Liberals would have deregulated our banking system and left it open to the same misadventure that required and still requires massive bailing out in the US and Europe. In contrast our banking system held strong and now making record profits. The Commonwealth share value is now stronger now than that of the combined value of the German banking system.

The NBN like compulsory superannuation is a national investment in the future and should be done once and properly. Liberals always argue it never the right time to invest in the future they are always about the politics of managing for today.

A well known SA analogy and example of poor Liberal economic management is the southern expressway, now costing a Labor government $450 m to fix the half built road that probably would have only cost us $200m to build properly in the first place!

[claybro]

A well known SA analogy and example of poor Liberal economic management is the southern expressway, now costing a Labor government $450 m to fix the half built road that probably would have only cost us $200m to build properly in the first place!

Dog, do you actually believe what you write, or is it just designed to draw a response? As an example of your complete political bias you state the above. Have you forgotten that at the time of the one way Southern expressway, the state was recovering from near bankruptcy as a result of the complete mis-management of the State Bank under a Labor state government. Despite this, during this period and what is often conveniently overlooked is that the Liberal state government managed to complete the Heysen Tunnels and Mt Barker freeway, a massive undertaking albeit with federal funding as well. Also, and surprisingly for a Liberal government, completed replacement of the whole suburban rail fleet. The "one way" expressway was only ever designed as a stop gap measure, with financial constraints in mind, and to try to win votes down South. So please present the full story. Labor governments have presided over some of the greatest financial disasters in our history. As for the NBN, don't believe that should Labor win the election, it will continue to be rolled out as promised. Word is, the whole project is in such disarray, that even a Labor government will need to go back to the drawing board.

[Nathan]

Have you forgotten that at the time of the one way Southern expressway, the state was recovering from near bankruptcy as a result of the complete mis-management of the State Bank under a Labor state government.

I've always wondered why the Southern Expressway gets such a bad wrap, being constantly cited as an example of SA backwardness. To me, it was quite a smart solution for a time when we were hard pressed for cash. Running pretty much parallel to South Rd, it's main purpose has always been to ease peak traffic in whatever direction that happens to be.

[claybro]

And back to the NBN... does anybody have any information regarding how the NBN rollout is proceeding? Ie amount of areas connected. Actual customers hooked up and total cost so far, in relation to forecasts? Given it is a project of such national importance,(not my opinion) and a cornerstone of Labor re-election hopes, I would have thought they would be shouting this project from the rooftops. Someone inside Telstra (not a good source I know) has told me the figures are so horrific, that the government is trying to bury any mention of it less the media starts digging too deep. I have also heard, that this project will be wound back big time in rollout terms even if Labor wins the election, such is the cost blowout and outright desertion of the project by contractors.

[Dog]

Guys you come in so quickly you forgot to give credit to Howard and Olson for the Adelaide Darwin rail line!

[Dog]

So Claybro, you are saying that the State liberal government for political reasons (get southern votes) was willing to half build an expressway. Which in hindsight has probably wasted / cost the state $200m to fix. how can that be good economics management anyway you look at it you.

As for the Hills tunnels, I believe they also opted for the cheapest option. Its already a scary option coming down in rush hour traffic, and almost has to be closed to change a light bulb, Time will tell with the growth of Mt Barker if they made the right choice there as well. As for the Mt Barker freeway, I remember the first bridge was built too low, and the roadway had to be lowered.

And the money spent on replacement of rail stock it may have been better spent of electrification first, rail stock second but if its all about winning elections, visible new rail cars will win votes over the better economic decision of electrification

The NBN, should be built properly first time and thats good economic management.

As for selective memory I think the Olson Wine centre was probably as wasteful as the half built southern expressway. Took a labor government to work out how to stop it haemorrhaging money.

[Shahkar]

How is this relevant to the NBN?