The Federal Government will today release the full business plan behind the multi-billion dollar National Broadband Network after months of pressure from the Federal Opposition and the Greens.Senator Conroy will release the 400-page document given to him last week in a press conference in Canberra at midday today.
Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy has withheld any detailed business plan since the NBN’s inception, meeting strong contention from the rest of Parliament. A watered-down, 36-page summary was made available last month to satiate critics of the Government’s delay.
Liberal Senator Gary Humphries has questioned the integrity of the document given its release so close to Christmas despite being available well in advance, while Labor backbencher, Stephen Jones said that the buffer between acquiring the document and public release allowed the Government to ensure the document did not disclose any confidential business information of other telecoms.
The plan is set to reveal business information from NBN Co, the company in charge of building the fibre network, including wholesale costs that will affect major telecoms and retail prices.
NBN Co’s business plan revisions have put the company off-track with $11 billion negotiations with telecommunications wholesaler, Telstra, possibly delaying the proposed deal until later next year.
