After doubling the size of the deficit, the Abbott Government has now nearly doubled the cost of their second rate NBN.
Malcolm Turnbull promised that all Australians would have access to the NBN by the end of 2016. That was a lie and the people of Tasmania are paying the price.
The cost of the Coalition’s second rate NBN started out $29.5 billion in April 2013, it blew out to $41 billion in December 2013, increased again to $42 billion in August 2014 and today it was announced that it will now cost up to $56 billion.
The NBN is rolling out slower than Malcolm Turnbull promised, and it is more expensive than he promised.
Malcolm Turnbull has no-one else to blame for this cost blowout. It has happened because he has made poor decisions. For example:
ASSUMPTION REALITY
Renegotiations with Telstra to be completed ‘speedily’—and ‘certainly’ by June 2014[i]
Agreements did not commence until 26 June 2015[ii]
The large scale rollout of [fibre to the node] to commence in mid-2014[iii]
Full access to copper delayed until 26 June 2015. The large scale rollout of FTTN has still not started
2.61 million HFC premises to be connected by end-2016[iv]
Only 875,000 will be ready for service—and that’s by June 2017[v]
IT systems changes to cost an additional $180-$290m[vi]
Now forecast to cost an additional ~$1 billion[vii]
All homes in Australia to have 25mbps by 2016[viii]
Less than half to have the NBN by 2017[ix]
In less than two years under Tony Abbott, Joe Hockey and Malcolm Turnbull, the deficit has gone up, debt has gone up, unemployment has gone up and now the cost of the NBN has gone up for the third time.
They have doubled the deficit and almost doubled the cost of the NBN.
Our community is now paying the price for Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull’s mistakes.
When it comes to the NBN, all Australians will now pay much, much more for much, much less.
SENATOR CATRYNA BILYK DEPUTY OPPOSITION WHIP IN THE SENATE SENATOR FOR TASMANIA
