No, we slag a discarded policy.

Russell, go back to you dead end blog.

Do tell why my elderly parents and their friends should have to pay taxes so that New Zealand internet consumers (don’t pretend most people benefiting are exporters or the like) can download movies and music faster?

Labour and National are just arguing the detail, and Labour is throwing dirt as would be expected. The truth is that government regulation has directly and indirectly squeezed out future private sector infrastructure led investment by a combination of local loop unbundling (devaluing Telecom’s return on investment and destroying incentives for Telstra Clear to build) and the RMA allowing councils to unnecessarily restrict the installation of overhead cable networks.

The people who want fast broadband are either not willing to pay for it or not in sufficiently large numbers to count – and more importantly, a fast domestic network does not solve the issue of the cost of providing connectivity to the rest of the world.

All the excuses that these are the highways and railways of the 21st century is sleight of hand to justify subsidies – most industries can make some weak argument that they are “special” and deserving of “investment”. The internet is no more special.

Wireless is rubbish. HAving been a consumer of Wireless, DSL and Cable, I can wholeheartedly say that the superior product is cable.

Providing people with wireless would be about as effective as throwing people an ISDN line and then dropping it out every 25 minutes.

Even the official policy summary you link to in your post refers quite explicitly to a single PPP.

I really think that this ranting about “lies” is out of order.

[DPF: And Maurice confirmed, when asked, that the method of delivery was not decided, and would be determined once in office - exactly as has happened. And Labour have lied because they started calling it a subsidy to Telecom within minutes of Key's speech, and Key's speech has always made it clear that monopolies not getting further entrenched was a key principle.]

Maurice Williamson repeatedly framed the proposal as a version of the NZI’s FibreCo — a monolithic regulated monopoly in which the government would take a half stake. He told Tom Pullar-Strecker of the Dom Post that it would be a single PPP in which mums and dads would be able to invest, and in which the government would guarantee a return and “would forgo any return on its investment if the revenue stream in early years was inadequate to pay the set rate of return”. He said that all telcos would be “possible partners” in the company and might even wish to bring in their own network assets.

He also repeatedly promised (as did other National MPs throughout election year) that National would “ensure” that 75% of NZ homes would be connected to the new “ultra-fast” fibre network by 2014. Now that was bullshit …

I can see some merit in the new proposals, but it’s a stone cold fact that what was on offer last year was something quite different.

here’s my dumb question.
How much would it cost to give ecveryone a free satellite dish, or get broadband to run thru Sky’s dish as just about everyone has one anyway?
Isn’t that more likely the way of the future insteand of burying something in the ground?
Would that work??
they do say it might take ten years to do this thing; how much have things changed in the last 10 years?

As you posted a wee while ago, they were having a little trouble deciding a)how to attack JK et al and b) how to be an effective opposition. This proves once again that they still have issues (aside from rampant socialism that is).

In the past, all oppositions did just that: the opposite – sometimes whether they agreed with a policy or not. Now, with JK at the helm and a more open and results (rather than politics) orientated government that is bi-partisan in it’s approach, the traditional rules no longer apply.

As exhibited with Clare Curran’s approach to s92a, there is a glimmer of hope. Unfortunately, you still have A King and P Goff at the helm who authorise these “attacks” because they know nothing else. Thats how they have been taught.

In politics when you resort to blatant untruths, such as we have here, you can tell that the party is failing to get any traction. They tried this in the election campaign (remember Mike Williams’ little side trip) and the strategy didn’t work then and, in the face of a disciplined government, it won’t work now.

This is another great example of where leadership is being tested for Labour and is failing. Bring on the likes of Shane Jones who is far more credible, focused and able to adapt while bring the likes of Jacinda Adern up with him. While not being a Labour supporter, New Zealand still needs a credible opposition for things to function well. I hope Phil Goff can get past his own hubris, see this problem for what it is and act upon it or, god forbid, he may end up having to be moved involuntarily. Make no mistake, Andrew Little, for all his conciliatory words on Q+A two weeks ago about supporting Phil and Annette, is just the bloke to enact change when needed and be prepared to step on toes if he thinks it is in the best interests of his party.

XChequer
http://thenzhomeoffice.blogspot.com/

I thought the ‘fibre to the home ‘ was a stupid idea anyway, but at least they have walked away from that.

75% of NZ , seems to only mean the top 25 centres, we can now count out any residential users by 2014 as promised as the time frame has been pushed out so far as to be meaningless.

You really are a tosser – basically whatever National announce it is too much or too little. I don’t think you’ve ever been on here and said that a single National policy was just right.

Better than Labour did over the past 10 years.

But I suppose Theresa Gattung was a mate of Huluns.

Everybody else can ‘eat cake’

[DPF: WHile Labour's policy was fibre to the home to 0% of NZers. I think 75% is a hell of a lot better than 0%. The most rural 25% will get faster broadband but it will be probably satellite and mobile technology as the marginal costs are too prohibitive in less dense areas.]

Communications and Technology Minister Steven Joyce yesterday announced public-private partnerships would be established to deliver ultra-fast broadband to 75 per cent of New Zealanders within 10 years.

That 75 per cent was based in the 25 biggest cities and towns and leaves out the entire West Coast – something Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn said was “just not on”.

THat leaves out Thames, Whakatane, Kaitaia, Queenstown etc

Watch for an about flip ‘ by lunchtime’

HTH’s.

Don’t get het up DPF, this is going like clockwork.

They are getting a large share of ‘voice’ on the MSM. Far more than they actually deserve.

However, whilst the Tories were smart enough to keep a low profile, and plan for success.

Labour on the otherhand still think they can use Old Guard tactics. Sure they worked for two terms.became thoroughly discredited in the last three year. And what they havn’t got is the force of personality and faux conviction that was obvious before.

So all that comes across is confusion, bitterness, and pure sour grapes.

Old proverb:

If you have nothing positive to say, then don’t say anything.