[LINK] New ministers

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

So, either/or/both-of Anthony Albanese and Ed Husic oversee the NBN ..

"Anthony Albanese takes communications portfolio"
BY:FRAN FOO From: The Australian June 30, 2013 8:27PM


DEPUTY Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will have the added responsibility 
of the communications portfolio following Stephen Conroy's decision to quit 
the Labor ministry.

Senator Conroy has been the government's chief for the $37.4 billion 
national broadband network project and many feared his departure would 
leave a gaping hole in the government's ability to sell its benefits.

However, while Mr Albanese's technical knowledge of broadband technologies 
may not be on par with Senator Conroy's, he is accustomed to fielding 
questions on the matter.

Also on the agenda from a media perspective are issues such as whether the 
75 per cent reach rule for should be abolished, media reform more generally 
and broadcast licence fees.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this morning confirmed that Mr Albanese will take 
on the Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy portfolio, in 
addition to his Infrastructure and Transport portfolio. 

Western Sydney Labor MP and Rudd supporter Ed Husic has been named 
Parliamentary Secretary for Broadband.

The ambitious National Broadband Network project recently made headlines 
after asbestos was found in more than a dozen Telstra copper pits.

Telstra, which has an $11bn agreement to participate in the NBN rollout, 
was quick to take responsibility, ordering a clean up that could cost the 
telco more than $50 million and result in delays to the project.

In his first press conference since becoming prime minister, Mr Rudd on 
Friday said younger voters were concerned about two major issues - marriage 
equality and high-speed broadband.

Outgoing independent MPs Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor had singled out the 
NBN as one of their main reasons for backing Labor in 2010 to form a 
minority government.

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