[LINK] Benefits of a digital economy enabled by the National Broadband Network

[Kim Holburn]

On 2010/Sep/22, at 10:01 AM, Marghanita da Cruz wrote:

> George Bray wrote:
>> On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 7:15 AM, Stilgherrian  
>> <stil at stilgherrian.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I find it interesting that when he steers away from the prepared  
>>> talking points, he twice mentions "destruction of wealth" in  
>>> relation to the international fibre over-build of the late 20th  
>>> century. The viewpoint is very much that of the investment banker:  
>>> the money should have been invested elsewhere for the better short- 
>>> term gain.
>>>
>>> There's nothing wrong with that viewpoint, of course, at least in  
>>> the right context. The very question is whether this is the right  
>>> context.
>>>
>>> Stil
>>>
>>
>> Yes, I find the coalition's determination of the NBN's value in only
>> financial terms to very tiresome. It surely plays well to the half of
>> the country where nothing should be done if it won't be worth more
>> dollars down the track. Turnbull's comparison between a
>> corporate/shareholder investment and a national/citizen investment
>> marks the delineation of left and right political mantras pretty  
>> well.
>>
>> I saw this on the latest Q&A too, where Christopher Pyne phrased his
>> comments in terms of taxpayers, not citizens. It's a fine point but  
>> it
>> neatly shows who the intended beneficiaries are in any discussion on
>> national investment and the "return" to those who pay.
>>
> <snip>
>
> The $43billion has to come from somewhere:\

No-one's sure how much it will cost.  As I understand it with the  
Telstra deal it is $11 Billion less, so only $32bilion for starters.

The Coalition's broadband plan was said to cost $16 Billion.  Where  
was that going to come from?  Who was going to benefit from that?  Who  
was getting oversight of that spending?  What were we the tax payers  
going to get for that?  What were country residents going to get?

> *taxes
> *superfunds
> *private investors
>
> Those in favour of the NBN could deman that their super fund
> invests.
>
> Marghanita



-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
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