Australia's National Broadband Network To Go Ahead

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Australia's National Broadband Network To Go Ahead

Posted by timothy on Thursday September 9, 2010 @02:38PM from the beware-coriolis-effect dept.

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."

13 of 222 comments (clear)

What's the point... by Deathnerd · 2010-09-09 14:41 · 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 · 2010-09-09 14:49 · 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 · 2010-09-09 16:23 · 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 · 2010-09-09 16:56 · 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 · 2010-09-09 17:35 · 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...
What filter? by DMJC · 2010-09-09 14:47 · 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 · 2010-09-09 14:50 · 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 · 2010-09-09 15:18 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  If you're not passing any legislation, perhaps what you need is more fibre?
  
  --
  Visit CryptoGnome in his home.
Re:Australian... with questions here by p3anut · 2010-09-09 15:04 · Score: 5, Informative

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1511009 That will help answer your question.
Great outcome from Election by Anonymous Coward · 2010-09-09 15:04 · 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)
Re:Help! Get the Vaseline! by KingKaneOfNod · 2010-09-09 15:27 · 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.
Comment removed by account_deleted · 2010-09-09 16:42 · Score: 4, Informative

Comment removed based on user account deletion
Re:Sweet! 43 Billion! by mjwx · 2010-09-09 16:55 · 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.