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Push for action on network

The telecoms industry wants Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull to be quick and decisive as he considers what to do with the national broadband network.
By · 9 Oct 2013
By ·
9 Oct 2013
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The telecoms industry wants Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull to be quick and decisive as he considers what to do with the national broadband network.

With no more information likely to emerge about the project until around Christmas – when a 60-day review is completed – there were questions about jobs and investment at the annual CommsDay industry conference in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Mr Turnbull supplied a five-minute video, saying existing NBN rollout work would continue. He also said he would cut industry regulation.

There were potentially thousands of jobs at risk in the sector if the government was too slow deciding how to proceed with the rest of the NBN rollout, managing director of Alcatel-Lucent in Australia, Sean O’Halloran said. He said about 20,000 people were involved.

Meanwhile, iiNet’s chief technology officer John Lindsay said he supported a quick rollout, particularly for people who don’t have reliable broadband.
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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

The Communications Minister is reviewing the NBN and a 60-day review is underway. The article says no further details are likely until that review finishes, which is expected around Christmas, and the minister indicated existing NBN rollout work would continue in the meantime.

The article reports a 60-day review that is expected to be completed around Christmas. Investors should expect major new information or decisions about the rest of the rollout after that review is finished.

Yes. The managing director of Alcatel‑Lucent in Australia warned at the CommsDay conference that there could be potentially thousands of jobs at risk if the government is slow to decide how to proceed. He said about 20,000 people were involved in the sector.

According to the article, Mr Turnbull provided a five‑minute video saying existing NBN rollout work would continue and that he planned to cut industry regulation.

The article highlights comments from Alcatel‑Lucent's managing director expressing concern about job and investment risk if decisions are delayed. That suggests suppliers involved in the rollout could face uncertainty until the review concludes.

iiNet’s chief technology officer, John Lindsay, said he supported a quick rollout, especially to help people who currently don’t have reliable broadband.

The CommsDay conference brought industry leaders together to raise questions about jobs and investment while the 60‑day review is ongoing, making it a key forum for commentary and signals about industry sentiment.

Based on the article, investors should monitor the 60‑day review timeline and official statements from the Communications Minister, plus commentary from major industry participants like Alcatel‑Lucent and iiNet, because these updates will affect rollout plans, jobs and industry regulation.