The deals between the NBN and Telstra and Optus lock in the NBN and make life immensely difficult for the Liberals in communications.
Malcolm Turnbull
Conroy’s blueprint for a digital economy … that doesn’t need an NBN
The National Digital Economy Strategy positions Australia as a “leading digital economy” by 2020. Or is it “Conroy’s Digital Economy Con”? Either way it doesn’t need a National Broadband Network.
Essential: it’s the Kevin and Malcolm show
Voters now prefer Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull as leaders of their respective political parties, but it hasn’t dented the Coalition’s big lead.
Labor is surprisingly effective in parliament
Labor is almost comically inept outside Parliament but the rules within enable it to be much more effective.
Political snippets: Malcolm’s a naughty boy
There’s no doubt that Malcolm Turnbull should have been there in the House of Representatives when votes were taken.
Political snippets: Richard Farmer’s chunky bits: Difference of opinion … when yes means yes
How refreshing to have that couple of stories in the past week suggesting that the Liberal Party is not completely full of “yes” politicians.
Political snippets: Keeping an eye on petrol
Petrol is still near its high point but no longer rising steeply and when it comes to this quarter’s inflation figure it is the increase that counts.
Carr: Malcolm Turnbull lives in immigration fantasy land
Malcolm Turnbull’s recent remarks calling for Shanghai style underground railways is lunacy. Such systems work with high density population, not urban sprawl, writes Bob Carr.
IT: ritual shenanigans, but hey, this is government
Just be aware that all of this could be changed in an instant, budget process or not, if a minister gets on a plane with the Ranga-in-Chief with a few numbers scribbled on the back of an envelope.
Why Swan’s boom budget bottom line is baloney
We need to stop kidding ourselves that our comparatively robust budget position is the product of prudent fiscal management, and to acknowledge the huge boost we’re receiving from the resources boom, writes Karen Maley of Business Spectator.
Essential: first carbon price poll is bad news for Labor
The Government’s carbon price announcement appears to have immediately cost it votes, according to the latest Essential Report poll.
Political snippets: How others see us: not too badly actually
The latest global happiness index sees Australia up near the top in fourth place and just behind three Scandinavian nations.
Malcolm Turnbull & Kate Ellis: 2010′s sexiest politicians
Back on the front bench and back into our hearts. Malcolm Bligh Turnbull, come on down — you’re Crikey’s sexiest male pollie for 2010. Two-time Silver Fox Stephen Smith has been knocked off his rather well-worn perch. Here at Crikey we were gunning for the fresh-faced Wyatt Roy to get home, but it seems the prepubescent look doesn’t quite cut it […]
Kris Kringle for the Oz pollies
The office Kris Kringle is typically a kringe-worthy affair — but if you think you’ve got it tough, spare a thought for the poor bastards at Capital Hill. But never fear, Crikey intern Alexandra Patrikios is here, armed with gift suggestions for the a few parliamentarian pressies:
NBN business case: curiouser and curiouser
If the government secures passage of its bill to separate Telstra, it will have achieved an historic telecommunications reform. Typically, everyone’s talking about something else.
NBN Co business case — truly a curiously inadequate document
“It is a curiously inadequate document,” wrote Malcolm Turnbull of the NBN Co Business Case Summary. He’s right. A business case that doesn’t, y’know, present a case for the business, supported by proper numbers? WTF?
Clash of the senatorial egos spells trouble for Telstra’s shareholders
The spat over the NBN business plan will harm Telstra shareholders more than anyone else.
Crikey Says: The Coalition’s NBN credibility problem
There has been considerable puffing and posturing from the Coalition in recent days over the National Broadband Network, and it continues…
gay marriage Our same-sex marriage story: still think it’s immoral?
Crikey reader John offers up his very personal story of a gay “marriage”, including all of the “in sickness and in health” and “for better, or worse” vows. It might not have the legal recognition, but the essence remains the same.
Turnbull, rent seeking and patenting genes
It does no good in the long term to encourage rent seeking by damaging the inventors and companies who are trying to bring genetic products to the marketplace, writes Glen Gordon, registered Australian patent and trademark attorney.
Essential: regulate the banks, say voters
Unsurprisingly, voters are dead keen on more banking regulation, according to the latest Essential Report.
How Coalition broadband plan stacks up
Just six weeks since Malcolm Turnbull became opposition communications spokesperson, he’s already sharpened up the Coalition’s broadband policy and provided politically-saleable points of difference from Labor’s national broadband network.
Hockey proves it doesn’t pay to take policy risks
Yet again serious policy is being overlooked in favour of the media’s obsession with personalities and internal politics. No wonder we have a reform drought.
If the Liberals oppose the NBN, they have to back splitting Telstra
If the Liberals are serious about an alternative approach to NBN, they have to start with the vertical separation of Telstra, write Bernard Keane and Glenn Dyer.
Did Turnbull stay on because Howard urged him to?
Since 2007 John Howard has largely disappeared from the media spotlight, but revelations that he urged Malcolm Turnbull to reconsider his decision to retire in April provides further evidence that the former PM continues to play a significant role in Liberal party politics.
