NBN Connection

[Hercules]

I think the LNP's turned kamikaze. They've now completely ruled out funding Cross-River Rail, even though the RACQ and Engineers Australia both fully support it. Now, they're asking us to forgo a new rail tunnel while Sydney and Melbourne get theirs. There's nothing that irks Queenslanders more than being ripped off by the southern states, so I bet the LNP will pay for this at the next election. For all the talk about Malcolm Turnbull being the "infrastructure prime minister", he's surprisingly ineffective. Even John Howard built more infrastructure than him, which says a lot about Turnbull's ineptitude. :rolleyes:

[Fulvio]

"We choose not to go to Roma Street. We choose not to go to Albert Street in this decade nor do the other things, not because they are hard, but because they are costly, because that goal would serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills before profits for the rich, because that challenge is one that we are unwilling to accept, one we are willing to postpone indefinitely, and one which we do not intend to win for the common little people, and the others, too."

[Hercules]

"We choose not to do FTTP. We choose not to do FTTP in this decade nor do the other things, not because they are hard, but because they are costly, because that goal would serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills before profits for the rich, because that challenge is one that we are unwilling to accept, one we are willing to postpone indefinitely, and one which we do not intend to win for the common little people, and the others, too."

[Hercules]

"We choose not to go to Roma Street. We choose not to go to Albert Street in this decade nor do the other things, not because they are hard, but because they are costly, because that goal would serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills before profits for the rich, because that challenge is one that we are unwilling to accept, one we are willing to postpone indefinitely, and one which we do not intend to win for the common little people, and the others, too."

There's a lovely little article in the Courier-Mail this morning. I apologise if it's a bit off-topic, but it says a lot about the federal government's attitude towards public infrastructure like the NBN.

Editorial: Infrastructure Australia Cross River Rail rejection report loses credibility

It is hard to place a lot of credibility in a document evaluating a major infrastructure project that cannot get basic geographical features right.

Yet Infrastructure Australia's initial seven-page dismissal of Queensland's business case for the Cross River Rail project, the worst errors have since been rectified, looks as though it was written by someone who has never visited Brisbane, let alone understands the lie of the land and the emerging pressures on public transport the city faces.

Surely a Federal Government body charged with assessing the viability of multibillion-dollar, nation-building investments has the skill sets necessary to read a map, rather than inventing suburbs such as "Hill Gate"? Surely an organisation that can make or break billions of dollars of investment knows where the Brisbane CBD is?

We can cut it some slack, within a block or two perhaps, but, seriously, publishing a map in a report rejecting the business case for a $5 billion project that puts the city centre on the wrong side of the river?

Perhaps Queensland voters should not be surprised that such a shoddy report is in keeping with the equally shoddy treatment the state receives when it comes to federal funding.

There is a long history of Queensland going begging and having to delay or can projects, or further stretch tight budgets to self-fund them, while billions of dollars are poured in the direction of states where the money might generate more political capital, irrespective of the economic and social benefit.

The Auditor-General earlier this year delivered a damning report on funding for the $17 billion WestConnex project in Sydney (the biggest infrastructure project since the Harbour Bridge). In particular, it singled out a $1.5 billion funding commitment before a business case was complete, and questioned generous concessional loans.

In Victoria, the now-canned East West Link (first stage $6 billion in a total cost of at least $15 billion) received a large lick of funding from the Abbott government despite not even submitting a business case. In fact, it has since emerged that the then Napthine government in Victoria decided against submitting a formal business case to Infrastructure Australia because it "may be used as a justification for not supporting the project".

Yet the billion dollar cheques from the Federal Government are forthcoming, and keep flowing elsewhere, few questions asked. Perth receives equally generous funding for MetroNet, and Adelaide receives $50 billion in submarine contracts.

Meanwhile in Queensland we struggle to get a fair go from Canberra when it comes to paying their agreed share of National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements funding for the damage caused by Cyclone Debbie. This is not largesse for shiny new roads with a dubious cost-benefit equation, or hugely expensive warships, but simply enough money to help rebuild existing infrastructure destroyed by the sort of super storm that those in Canberra and Sydney would never experience beyond a television news report.

In Queensland we have wrangled with successive governments for years about Cross River Rail, a project that will help underwrite the viability of southeast Queensland's public transport plan for decades to come.

As Deputy Premier Jackie Trad argued this week, additional information requested by IA had not been included in its final analysis. Further it would appear that the body is basically telling Queensland that the project should not proceed until Queensland Rail reaches a crisis point in the network, with patronage figures increasing to 150 per cent of seated capacity.

The bottom line is this is a project that will reshape Brisbane and deliver for generations to come. It will bring with it urban renewal, less congestion and clean transport, not to mention jobs and ancillary investment.

In fact, it is the sort of long-term thinking, soon to be a necessity, that the Sydney Harbour Bridge investment represented in 1923, or the Snowy Mountains scheme in 1949. As a nation, perhaps we should be thankful that the Federal Government and Infrastructure Australia were not assessing those projects at the time.

Source: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/editorial-infrastructure-australia-cross-river-rail-rejection-report-loses-credibility/news-story/2349d60cde30de98752e1dce569f96aa

[seedyrom]

Meh. Can I have my Brisbane flood levy tax dollars back for the "smart state" decision to be the only state without insurance against natural disasters?

Thanks.

[JeffH]

Letter to the editor, Sydney Morning Herald today...

For those who say NBN is slow, I have proof to the contrary. Yesterday, an NBN service vehicle that overtook me on the Pacific Highway must have been doing at least 110km/h.
Col Shephard Yamba


:laughingneqw: :laughingneqw: :laughingneqw: :laughingneqw:

[Pedro]

:laugh2:

Pedro

[Hercules]

Meh. Can I have my Brisbane flood levy tax dollars back for the "smart state" decision to be the only state without insurance against natural disasters?

Thanks.

If you think you've got it bad, just imagine what it would be like if New Zealand were also part of Australia. Then, you'd have to pay them an earthquake levy as well. :ok:

[JeffH]

Assuming the basic facts of this story are correct -I am happy to believe so- this is a victory of procedure over common sense. A common thing in government regulated organisations.
Having worked for a government authority in the past it was common that a "rules are rules" philosophy would over-ride any considerations of the situation at hand, logic or common sense. People are too scared of getting into trouble to think for themselves (and, if you report an anomalous circumstance up the line, for a ruling; then you are drawing attention to yourself -not a good idea.)

'Downgraded!' Elan residents reject NBN

"NBN Co chief executive Bill Morrow last week sought to downplay growing complaints by admitting to a 15 per cent dissatisfaction rate among customers connecting to the NBN."
No mention what he is trying to do to reduce this incredibly poor figure. Of course that is what he knows (or is prepared to admit to)...How many more dissatisfied customers are there whose complaints have never gone past their service providers?

[seedyrom]

What good comes from complaining to a monopoly?

They force you to migrate, kill off your traditional phone line and get you to commit to a 12 or 24 month plan.
It's hard to play poker when they have all of the cards.

[Fulvio]

It's hard to play poker when they have all of the cards.

Oh, I dunno. I got Optus to transfer $300 of unused prepaid credit onto our landline. For the fourth time. Despite lots of arguments that it wasn't possible.

Currently I'm waiting on a response after going to the ombudsman after they cancelled and now refuse to reinstate a $0 mobile plan for non-payment (!!!???) despite having a long-standing direct-debit authority.

I expect a favourable outcome. However, every time you involve the ombudsman, they get fined $1,000, and there's a certain satisfaction in that regardless of the outcome. :diablo:

[Hercules]

It's hard to play poker when they have all of the cards.

I expect a favourable outcome. However, every time you involve the ombudsman, they get fined $1,000, and there's a certain satisfaction in that regardless of the outcome. :diablo:

I only wish we could take politicians to the ombudsman. A $1000 fine for every stuff-up would give me 10x the satisfaction you're getting now. Imagine what it would be like if the government were actually held accountable for giving us a dodgy NBN.

[JeffH]

They are to be held accountable late next year or early the following year. Crappy NBN is only one of the issues amongst many that may influence the voting.

No Matter Who You Vote For The Government Always Gets In

[Fulvio]

Here's an interesting read I just shared on FB:

http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=36571

Basically, we're screwed as long as the Libs are in control.

[stevo1962]

Here's an interesting read I just shared on FB:

http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=36571

Basically, we're screwed as long as the Libs are in control.

B******s