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Australia's National Broadband Network To Go Ahead

angry tapir writes "After weeks of a hung parliament following the Australian federal election, the incumbent Labor Party has garnered enough support among independent MPs to form a minority government. Broadband was central to clinching the independents' support. Labor's victory means the $43 billion National Broadband Network will push ahead. The policy has generally been popular among ISPs and telcos — though some rebel operators preferred a policy that emphasized wireless technologies, similar to the proposals put forward by Labor's opponents. The primarily fiber-based NBN is set to offer Australians 1Gbps broadband."

24 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. What's the point... by Deathnerd · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Of having broadband if you can't watch some good ol' small breasted porn?

    1. Re:What's the point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      We can do anything anyone else can do with it.

      The "small breasted porn" issue is incorrect sensationalism, and the idiotic filter idea - which was never going to get through the senate previously - will now not even make it past the house of reps, so I'd be very surprised if we heard anything about it again in the near to medium future.

    2. Re:What's the point... by twostix · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It doesn't have to get through the house of anything.

      The department will argue that any filtering on it's own network is an operational issue well outside of the purvey of the house and completely under the responsibility of the department and minister.

      Understand?

      Government departments don't need legislation to enable them to make decisions regarding the technical operations of their departments so unless the law that allows the NBN *specifically restricts* the implementation of a filter the department can and will demand the ISP implement filtering.

      They will simply say "you don't have a right to download illegal material over the public network" if you complain.

      I really wish people understood how the public service / executive and government work under our system, it really is very important.

    3. Re:What's the point... by rtb61 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Go here http://abc.com.au/ and then here http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/ActCompilation1.nsf/all/search/2E7F5179D6598E8DCA2574730019A00B. As for fibre broadband network legislation is required to enable it, and unless language stipulating censorship is included then it can't happen and that legislation is amended. Government departments can not act outside of legislation unless that legislation incorporates that out of bounds operation, as for freedom of speech in Australia that is more complex http://www.aph.gov.au/LIBRARY/pubs/rn/2001-02/02rn42.htm.

      The biggest threat high bandwidth internet has politically, is an end to campaign contributions to pay for commercial broadcasting purposes. Every politician and every political party will be able to upload their message, speeches, supporting performance (on permanent record) to government hosted web sites (local, state and federal) which every citizen can freely access. No more for profit political commercials now that cripples the influence of the rich via mass media and promotes independent politicians as well as enabling smaller political parties to gain access to the electorate upon an equal basis. Additional every single sitting of any legislative body can be recorded, uploaded and accessed by anybody at any time.

      Plus think of fun stuff it will enable, web hosted multi site parties, were web cams and big screen TV's can link together multiple locations around the world, for that family reunion Christmas (many sleepless day/night opportunities in there) etc.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    4. Re:What's the point... by batkiwi · · Score: 4, Informative

      1. NBN is not a government department. I really wish people would understand how the NBN is structured, it really is very important. It will not be run by dept of innovation or any other department.

      2. Government departments rely on legislation as a backing and don't make unilateral decisions. It more works the opposite of how you describe. If there is legislation stating that they MAY do something, then they might or might not. If there's no legislation stating that they may then they won't.

      An easy example is the immigration department. The law states that the minister MAY grant citizenship if you fall into X/Y/Z categories. Based on this legislation:
      -if you fall into X/Y/Z immigration department might or might not grant you citizenship
      -if you do not fall into X/Y/Z categories, the immigration department WILL NOT grant you citizenship. They are not empowered to even though there's nothing in legislation stating they can't.

      You're obviously not a public servant...

  2. What filter? by DMJC · · Score: 5, Informative

    Greens/Liberals/Independants hold the balance of power and are all dead set against the filter. It's a dead scheme stop mentioning it. There will be no mandatory net filter in Australia. The ETS and mining tax are probably also going to get blocked. They don't have the numbers to pass that sort of legislation anymore.

    1. Re:What filter? by Eskarel · · Score: 4, Informative

      While I agree with you, it's important to remember that the Liberals haven't actually said they won't support the filter. Joe Hockey has said they won't support the filter, but he is neither the leader, nor the communications minister.

      That said, the filter was always a dead scheme, which is why Labor never tried to push it through.

    2. Re:What filter? by Crypto+Gnome · · Score: 4, Funny

      If you're not passing any legislation, perhaps what you need is more fibre?

      --
      Visit CryptoGnome in his home.
    3. Re:What filter? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Actually, I attended the National IT Debate just before the election and the liberal minister for communications did explicitly say that the Liberals were against the filter and would prefer to return to the old Howard policy of providing filtering software for free that people could install on their own computer (and thus not affect others)

    4. Re:What filter? by dakameleon · · Score: 3, Informative

      Enough with the FUD.

      The NBN is already being rolled out around Australia, and is available through much of Tasmania. It hasn't got a filter. The filtering is a separate piece of legislation that doesn't have the legs to get through the new parliament, with the Opposition and the Greens opposing it.

      It also does not exist under the exclusive executive oversight of the government. It is being set up along the lines of existing government-sponsored enterprises such as Australia Post or Medibank Private; furthermore, while the government will have a controlling stake the intent is for half the company to be privately owned & funded. The "$43 billion" headline figure only includes $26 billion of government funding, with the remainder expected to be raised from the market.

      NBN Co is ultimately responsible for the infrastructure, but the internet service provision is not part of its mandate - they might be providing the pipes, but it's ultimately up to the ISPs still to deliver the actual internet. See the NBN plans offered by iiNet in Tasmania, for instance.

      As for the idea that you could go back to using "normal ADSL" through the "private network", that's wrong too. The whole idea here is to rip up the old copper wherever possible and replace it with fiber. That is the dramatic dividend this will provide - telephony is going to totally change in Australia. That's what $11 billion is going to Telstra for.

      Get your facts right before you parrot this FUD.

      --
      Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion.
    5. Re:What filter? by StrahdVZ · · Score: 3, Interesting

      As stated on Q&A, the vast majority (at least 80%) of legislation is passed through the House of Reps unanimously. Only the contentious legislation is held up for debate.

      The ignorant masses need to watch quality current affairs and quality interviews once in a while rather than Today Tonight "OMG the Murdoch media empire said something bad about Labor so it must be true we're all going to die thanks to Labor now lets see how Masterchef is doing".

  3. Re:Australian... with questions here by p3anut · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1511009 That will help answer your question.

  4. Great outcome from Election by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    NBN (Fibre Network) is supported by:
    All independants
    The Greens
    Labor Pary

    Therefore it is guaranteed to pass throught the upper and lower houses :)

    Censorhip is supported by:
    Labor

    Therefore it will not be able to pass through either house of parliament unless the Liberal/National Coalition switch their position (which wouldnt surprise me)

  5. Re:Australian... with questions here by muphin · · Score: 3, Insightful

    stop thinking globally and think locally.
    when we get the NBN up, major IT contenders such as google, microsoft, facebook, youtube will have local caches within australia, jobs will be created from expansions of such companies, more data centres... let alone medical applications, video conferencing, IPTV streaming, extremely cheap phone calls, ability then to setup local call centres ...
    Education expansion, schools no longer have to be where the most people are when it can be done vide a video link.
    More bandwidth = more data processing so more research can be completed, super computers creates, technology advances made....
    so many possibilities.

    check out http://www.zdnet.com.au/election-rant-1-wireless-greed-339305187.htm for more info is the possibilities

    --
    It's not a typo if you understood the meaning!
  6. Re:Big enough to give you everything you want by mirix · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yeah, it's so much better to be held at the mercy of a corporation that has no accountability to you, vs. the government that has at least some accountability.

    --
    Sent from my PDP-11
  7. Re:Question for Aussies by sortius_nod · · Score: 3, Informative

    But they aren't, that's the problem. They're neo-cons these days. Someone like Malcolm Turnbull would be a true "Liberal", Tony Abbott (the guy who knifed Malcolm Turnbull to run the Liberals) is definitely a neo-con. They run the party these days and cop a lot of shit from Malcolm Fraser (one of the Liberal greats) for it.

  8. Re:Help! Get the Vaseline! by KingKaneOfNod · · Score: 4, Informative

    4. Australians will stick with their (possibly) slower current technology services when given the alternative of a faster, but significantly more expensive solution.

    Not possible. Remember that "agreement" that the government reached with Telstra? They agreed to "sell" their customers to NBN Co. when NBN rollout is complete in an area. This means that once NBN is available in your area you will be forced to use it or use nothing, because all alternatives will be removed by law.

  9. Re:Australian... with questions here by DarkEmpath · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So whilst it's great that we will have these kinds of speeds, how are we going to get data services fast enough to take advantage of them?

    If you build it he will come.

    At the moment, everything is overseas because it's not practical to have them here. As soon as we have the infrastructure in place, not only does it become more practical to mirror a lot of content and as well as provide additional services here, but it provides an underlying platform for new services to be created/invented.

    You have to start somewhere :-)

  10. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Informative

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  11. Re:Sweet! 43 Billion! by mjwx · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That's fantastic, a country with a serious water crises in at least 3 states,

    Cant do jack against mother nature. With the ENSO event last year this has lessened somewhat. Perhaps if people stopped wasting so much water on lawns and washing their hotted up HSV we wouldn't have such a crisis.

    with a housing price epidemic

    Limited land, bad land releases and a few companies have a stranglehold on constructions. Do you suggest the government give land away or fix prices for private corporations (because that will go down well on SlashLibertarian). Point in short, problem is procedural and throwing cash at it wont help.

    using sweet fuck all sustainable power

    Every time someone utters the word "Nuclear" the NIMBYS are up in arms taking torches and pitchforks to parliament house on sixty minutes. The same NIMBYs who complain about housing prices, broadband costs and water crisies but cant stop washing their cars every second day and watering their lawns in the middle of the day (40+ C is not unusual in Australia folks).

    but hey we can get really fast internet!

    Which will spur economic and scientific growth and get us out of this communications dark age we are currently living in. CLUE: we are competitive with Russia for broadband, that puts us at #42 in the world. Economically we are a first world nations about #12-15 from the top.

    You criticise the government for not fixing problems it can do little about by criticising the government when it does do something to fix a problem it can do something about. Jesus H Christ, Australia doesn't need any more people like you.

    Lets break down the numbers, out of that 43 billion, 16 billion is being contributed by private entities. So that's 27 billion. Divide that by 11 million households and thats less then A$2500 per household. Amortise that over a 20 year lifespan (20 year minimum, 40 more likely) and its $125 per year, per household. A bloody bargain at twice the price. OTOH, lets look at the Sydney harbour bridge. That cost 60 Million to build in the 20's, we didn't pay it off for 60 years... as long as we dont count the economic benefits of the North Sydney CBD created directly as a result of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (oh and theres a bit of tourism $$$ for that iconic structure).

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  12. Re:Big enough to give you everything you want by scdeimos · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The majority of Australians *want* the Internet to be filtered, and the government is accountable to *them* not *you*.

    I call BS. I haven't met one person who actually said they want internet censorship in Australia.

    The government couldn't even give NetAlert away when they tried - nobody wanted it, it was "cracked" by a kid inside of a week, and the few religious zealots who did get it now find themselves unsupported.

    Unfortunately the not-quite-majority of Australians who voted Labor at the last election fell for the "look at the silly monkey" trick (the high-speed National Broadband Network) and failed to notice the venomous snake (internet censorship) in the other hand.

  13. Re:Australian... with questions here by dakameleon · · Score: 3, Informative

    There's going to have to be take-up given the NBN involves ripping out all the existing copper, so there's no ADSL for it to compete against.

    So if we crank that up to 100% it drops to $60. Or, y'know, have a look at the current plans: http://www.internode.on.net/residential/broadband/fibre_to_the_home/nbn_plans/

    --
    Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion.
  14. Re:Australia is where its happening by kramulous · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It is not really that dangerous ... for a couple of reasons
    1. The mining industry is responsible for 80% of Australia's energy consumption (this is largely subsidised by taxpayers). 40% of that is just crushing rocks.
    2. The mining industry hasn't always been our biggest. Primary industry was except for the last 13 years we've been in drought. The drought has ended and we are in for a bumper crop, once again. One of our biggest competitors, Russia, is in major drought.
    3. Our services industry is actually huge (a big reason for the NBN).
    4. Our education industry is huge (was number 2 bread winner for at least 30 years straight)
    5. The mining industry has actually agreed to the tax.

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  15. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Comment removed based on user account deletion