It has all the trappings to become one of the most boring movies of all time… Close your eyes and imagine the trailer for… The Network. The Gillard government, desperate to push its National Broadband Network agenda forward before parliament closes for the year, is torn between two pieces of paper. One, a business report on the NBN which is being demanded by the opposition, and the second a piece of legislation that will force the separation of Telstra’s wholesale and retail arms. And one man stands in the way… Independant Senator Nick Xenephon.
Asleep yet? No? Then let’s have a bit of a closer look at the situation. Currently in the Senate is a piece of legislation that will split Telstra in two, paving the way for the NBN rollout. the government desperately wants to pass this legislation before the end of the week when all the politicians leave Canberra to enjoy long, taxpayer funded holidays return to their local electorates.
The problem is that while they managed to get the Greens onside with the promise of robust debate before the NBN is privatised, they still need the support of independent Senator Xenephon to get the numbers for the legislation to pass. And he doesn’t want to play ball. He wants to see the elusive NBN Business plan, but without having to sign an NDA that would gag him for two weeks (originally it was seven years – wtf?). The Government doesn’t like that idea. They want to keep the business plan private while they find the time to read it themselves.
Seriously Hollywood. Turn this into a movie. It would have to be better than Transformers 2…
Andrew Barras
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 11:35 AM“when all the politicians leave Canberra to del datetime=”2010-11-22T22:50:49+00:00″>enjoy< long, taxpayer funded holidays"
Um what?
Seamus Byrne
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 11:40 AMi blame canberra… it’s fixed now.
Nick Broughall
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 11:40 AMHaha, cut and paste code fail. Fixed. :)
Simon Reidy
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 12:13 PMSo who would you cast in the exciting “The Network” movie? I’m thinking Juliane Moore as Gillard and maybe Rowan Atkinson as Abbott?
I tried to think of someone to play Conroy but I couldn’t think of a stupid/evil enough actor :)
Richard Djordjevic
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 12:34 PMI’d pick Conan Obrian as Gillard
Ward Paterson
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 1:48 PMYou could litterally pick anyone out of “Kath & Kim” to play the Labour front & back benches :-p
matt
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 12:35 PMI cannot believe they are already planning the privatization of the NBN…
I must have missed this..
they CAN NOT privatize the NBN. it will be the biggest monopoly in the country! which is fine, as long as it’s owned by the gov, that is slightly more accountable to the customers, the people. but in private hands? no.
I am the biggest fan of the NBN, but if its going to be privatized, they shouldn’t do it.
Ward Paterson
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 1:46 PMWho ever voted Labor and couldn’t see the writing on the wall needs to seek medical attention..
Its the Labor way. Create – Sell… Create – Destroy… Create – FUBAR… And then say “it wasn’t me”
Just look at what that piece of work Bligh (Arrrrrr a Pirate – sorry, couldn’t help it) did to Queensland infrastructure – is a classic example.
By creating the NBN, then privatising may be stopped by the ACCC, but then again, maybe not.
Its not hard to believe that Labor are actually planning on doing this (2 faced) after selling the NBN to the people at election time as being a Gov’t owned and operated venture.
The sooner Labor is gone and the Libs are back in running the country the better off all of us will be…..
Antonia
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 2:32 PMIf the current oppostion were in opposition 100 years ago they would be voting against a copper network for the country for pretty much the same reason they are today: that the NBN will be hailed as a infrastructure project of huge significance to *all* Australians (and so also a “win” for the government). They’d rather be in government than help grow this country of ours.
Hey
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 2:45 PMI completely agree mate. For any idiot who didn’t actually listen to the fine print of the NBN …….. the plan to privatize it was always going to happen. And don’t complain when the cost blows out (which it will)
chaz.s123
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 2:50 PMGood to see we’re not letting objectivity stand in the way of a good partisan comment!
Nick Barsha
Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 6:01 PMIf the Howard never left office, we would have enough surplus to build the thing
Stew
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 2:38 PMThis article is spot on. Transformers 2 was a terrible film.
Zathras0
Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 7:55 AMWho to play Conroy, maybe one of the Jonas brothers