Labor's NBN hat trick for regional Australians - over budget, over priced and under supervised
26th November, 2010
Regional Australians will not only receive slower broadband under the Gillard Government’s NBN than city people, they face the prospect of real price increases.The fine print of the skimpy National Broadband Network Business Case Summary released yesterday shows the NBN has declined to offer those on the basic service of 12mbps any chance of prices remaining at current levels or falling.
“This means that for up to two million people living in the regions, the NBN’s basic level of broadband service will cost more,” said the Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss.
“This is another slap in the face after the Government revealed that for these Australians, the internet speed they might receive will at best be only an eighth of the speed available to those living in the cities.
“The NBN is a two speed network with some consumers forced to pay more for less. This is yet another real life example of Labor’s supposed commitment to equity, education and infrastructure in action.
“The Government talks about broadband delivering magic new health and education services but the people who need these services most in rural and remote Australia will never get 100mbps through the NBN.
“The NBN is already grossly overpriced, expected now to cost more than $50 billion once capital expenditure and payments to Telstra are included.
“And overnight, the Government announced it had stacked an NBN oversight committee with Labor mates.
“The NBN is a bad deal for Australians, and triply bad for those living in the regions,” Mr Truss said.
