[LINK] Abbott orders Turnbull to demolish NBN

[Roger Clarke]

At 20:24 +1000 14/9/10, Kim Holburn wrote:
>Why is it I wonder that Abbot hates the NBN so much?  ...

Because it provides him with an employment insurance policy?


>http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/14/3011557.htm
>>  Tony Abbott has ordered Malcolm Turnbull to "demolish" the
>>  Government's National Broadband Network (NBN)
...
>>  Declaring the NBN would be the "absolute focus" of the political
>>  battle of the next 18 months, Mr Abbott said he could think of no
>>  better person to "ferociously" hold the Government to account on the
>>  issue.

In accepting the job, Turnbull has agreed that he will convince 
multiple supporters of the NBN to turn against it.  No challenge to 
come up with a strategy, no need to form new policy, just stay on 
one, lonely issue for as long as it takes.

If Turnbull fails that task, he's failed his part of the bargain.

Added to that, the requirement for Shadow Cabinet solidarity will 
muzzle Turnbull on all the important topics-areas (climate change, 
water, health, ed, above all the economy).

Abbott gambled that, even when the offer was a poisoned chalice, 
Turnbull's ego wouldn't let him remain a back-bencher;  and Abbott 
got it right.


-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/

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Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University