Sophie joins Optus in exposing Rudd and Labor broadband sham

07-March-2009

“Labor’s cancellation of the Howard Government’s OPEL contract was an act of political opportunism. Optus has every right to come out and attack the Prime Minster and Minister Conroy over their disgraceful decision that leave rural and regional Australia in limbo,” Sophie Mirabella MP, Federal Liberal Member for Indi said today.

In a submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Labor Government’s proposed National Broadband Network, Optus has rightly slammed the Rudd Government over the cancellation of the contrast Optus and Elders has signed with the former Coalition Government to build a rural broadband network.

Optus’s submission right highlighted:

“The cancellation of OPEN was a lost opportunity for Australian business and consumers, particularly in the bush. Almost 900,000 premises across rural and remote Australia were to have been delivered metro-equivalent services at metro-comparable prices. Many of those premises would have been receiving services now.”

“Optus’s Submission exposes the Labor Government’s indifference to country Australia. Kevin Rudd’s approach to shame and strongly endorses the Coalition’s argument that OPEL was offered the technical solutions to provide high speed broadband to rural and regional areas,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“Minister Conroy’s cancellation of the OPEL contract and his embarrassingly delayed National Broadband Network tender process are evidence that he is not competent to be Communications Minister.”

“Kevin Rudd promised a “digital revolution”. Clearly they are going back on their word and once again it’s the bush that suffers under a city focussed Labor Government.”

“OPEL would have been completed this year under the former Howard Government. Kevin Rudd and Labor’s NBN is unlikely to even start construction this year and will take years to complete.”

“Labor cynically misled the Australian people at the last election about broadband. Labor’s hollow approach to telecommunications in the country is a side indictment on the Rudd Government.,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.