Malcolm Turnbull, Anthony Albanese showdown on NBN

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused of sitting on a draft of the latest National Broadband Network business plan.

Malcolm Turnbull and Anthony Albanese

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused of sitting on a draft of the latest National Broadband Network business plan.

Mr Albanese last night denied the government was sitting on the final version of the plan after a series of set backs and missed targets for the multibillion dollar infrastructure roll out.

But the opposition seized on his use of the word "final" and claimed a draft was being kept from public scrutiny.

During a debate on the NBN on ABC's Lateline last night, Liberal communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull asked Mr Albanese to produce the latest business plan to back his claims on the strength of Labor's policy.

"It is sitting on your desk," Mr Turnbull said.

"The company gave it to you only a month or so ago."

Mr Albanese responded: "That is not right. They have not produced the final business plan."

Mr Turnbull said: "Oh, I see. Labor keeps the draft stamped on it so you don't have to give it out before the election. You have got a confession from the company ... and you don't want to let the public know."

Mr Albanese said if the government had received it would have to go through cabinet and that could not occur in an caretaker election period.

Mr Turnbull said: "They have undoubtedly received it."

Mr Albanese said: "No. We have not received the final business plan."

In the debate, Mr Albanese began talking up his policy saying it would ensure speeds of 100Mbps and as high as 1Gbps and cost the same in the regions and the cities.

Labor is building a fibre to the premise network, connecting households directly to the network with high speed fibre technology.

But the coalition policy will wind back those efforts to save money and just connect the fibre to nodes in neighbourhoods, asking users to pay an estimated several thousand dollars to cover the last distance if they need speeds of more than its guaranteed 50Mbps.

Mr Albanese said other countries such as New Zealand had similar plans to the Coalition but had realised their mistake and upgraded it to a fibre to the premises network.

"You make sure you do it once and you do it right, and you do it with fibre," he said.

"It will transform the way education, health and aged care services are delivered. It will make smart manufacturing so that we can compete in our region and of course transform also the way agriculture occurs in this country."

But Mr Turnbull said it was about providing the technology required for the services needed in the most timely and cost-effective way.

He said that Labor's 100Mbps speeds could be achieved with fibre to the node if the property was within 400m from the node on existing copper wiring - saving at least three quarters of the construction cost and time.

"You have to remember that speed is only of value to you in so far as you have applications that need it," he said, saying a household wanting a high definition video played needed 6Mbps.

He also said that it would cost $20,000 a month for speeds of 1Gbps.

Mr Albanese fended off opposition claims it would not complete the project as promised by 2021 for $37 billion, saying KPMG had validated the corporate plan and adding that the project would produce a 7 per cent return for government.

The opposition's policy is promised to cost $29 billion by not making the extra connections to every premise.

Mr Turnbull said Labor's end cost would be $94 billion because the government had "dramatically" overestimated revenues, underestimated costs of construction and would take another four years than outlined to build it.

He pointed to Labor's track record of delays and problems with contractors as proof, accusing Mr Albanese of disrespecting taxpayer dollars by ignoring valid criticisms.

"There is a lot of evidence to support that," he said.

Mr Albanese claimed the figures were pulled out of "a Coco Pops packet", saying a parliamentary committee had kyboshed the claims and the opposition had flip-flopped on whether the costs should be put on-budget or off-budget.

"This is like building a two-lane Harbour Bridge," he said. "It is always more expensive to retrofit."

The Deputy Prime Minister also had to explain why Labor was claiming the NBN would be free, admitting people would have to pay for it like any service once the infrastructure was provided for free.

Mr Turnbull produced Labor campaign material showing the "free" claim.
 

Check out the Voice of Australia YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/voiceaust

Let us know what you think on Twitter using the hashtag #voiceaust