MICHELLE ROWLAND MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS
MEMBER FOR GREENWAY 
 

NBNCO NOW CLAIMS FLETCHER’S COST BLOWOUTS ARE COMMERCIAL-IN-CONFIDENCE

 
Minister Fletcher and NBNCo have suddenly coughed up 19 of 34 questions on notice, which were 58 days overdue, after being reprimanded by the Senate yesterday.
 
However, despite claiming there is nothing to hide, the responses provided by the Minister to the Senate are nothing short of a disgrace.
 
In responses to all 15 questions seeking data that was regularly published prior to the copper backflip, NBNCo has today claimed that same information is now commercial-in-confidence and cannot be disclosed. 
 
This nonsense does not stack up and Labor will use every avenue at its disposal to hold Minister Fletcher and NBNCo to account.
 
The information NBNCo and Minister Fletcher have been seeking to conceal since September 2020 includes matters as fundamental as:

• Peak funding;
• Cash flow profile;
• Debt profile;
• New HFC cost blowouts;
• Costs associated with Fletcher’s copper backflip; and
• How much of Morrison’s broadband tax is actually going to regional Australia.

It would appear that whenever data of this kind does not pose an inconvenience to the Government, it’s readily made available. However, the moment it threatens to reveal cost blowouts, it conveniently gets reclassified as commercial-in-confidence.

There is only one reason previously published data is being selectively concealed: to make it difficult for the public to scrutinise Minister Fletcher and his ongoing cost blowouts.

WEDNESDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 2021