[LINK] Expert predicts broadband cost blowout

[grove at zeta.org.au]

On Fri, 30 Jul 2010, Kim Holburn wrote:

> So who is the "expert" Malcolm McKenzie?


I cannot find anything about him.  Is he shadow boxing for the IPA?


Funny how he pops up now, rather than 6 months ago....



rachel



>
> The comments to this are interesting.
>
> BTW does anyone else get annoyed about the ABC websites comments
> policy?  They only open an article for comment occasionally and only
> for a short time then close it.  What's that about?
>
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/30/2968355.htm
>
>> Expert predicts broadband cost blowout
>> By Di Martin and Tim Leslie
>>
>
>
>> There are claims the cost of the $43 billion National Broadband
>> Network (NBN) could double.
>>
>> Experienced industry consultant and project manager Malcolm McKenzie
>> has told Radio National's Background Briefing program the costs of
>> big telecommunication rollouts always blow out.
>>
>> The claim comes as the Federal Government prepares to announce that
>> more than 300,000 extra premises will be connected to the NBN than
>> originally planned.
>>
>> "I would say for any project this size, [a cost blowout of] 50 per
>> cent to 100 per cent would not be unrealistic," Mr McKenzie said.
>>
>> He says red tape and rain are just two issues that will cause delays.
>>
>> But NBN chief Mike Quigley says the Tasmanian trial, which is about
>> to be launched, came in on time and on budget.
>>
>> "I would be surprised if, as we move forward, we didn't get in fact
>> better," Mr Quigley said.
>>
>> He says the NBN's business plan shows the network will turn a
>> profit. The business plan is not public.
>>
>> Mr Quigley says it uses more pessimistic assumptions than a major
>> consultant's report commissioned by the Federal Government.
>>
>> "What I would say, and I'm not going to go into details of those
>> differences in the assumptions other than to say we came to the same
>> general conclusion that an acceptable return could be generated for
>> the government," he said.
>>
>
>
>

-- 
Rachel Polanskis                 Kingswood, Greater Western Sydney, Australia
grove at zeta.org.au                http://www.zeta.org.au/~grove/grove.html
    "The perversity of the Universe tends towards a maximum." - Finagle's Law