Joint with Stephen Jones MP, Shadow Minister for Regional Communications.
In another embarrassment for Malcolm Turnbull, criticism of the NBN continues to fly from his own side of politics.
The widespread public anger about the second-rate NBN is now being echoed by one of his own MPs and fresh criticism from one of his former Liberal MPs.
Only a day after breaking ranks and declaring the NBN rollout had become “ridiculous”, Coalition Member for Mallee, Andrew Broad, has doubled-down on his criticism of the NBN’s failures.
Speaking on ABC Radio, Mr Broad told listeners that there were clear improvements needed to the current NBN rollout and that something needs to be done.
The Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network - of which Mr Broad is a member – has released a damning report into the Turnbull Government’s NBN, detailing systemic issues of faults, failed connections, reliability and chronic speed issues occurring across the network.
Coalition MP Andrew Broad accepts that the Government has got many aspects of the NBN rollout wrong, particularly in regional Australia.
Given his concerns, it is no surprise Mr Broad chose not to put his name to the dissenting report issued by the Liberal Party.
In another broadside attack on Malcolm Turnbull’s mismanagement of the NBN, former Liberal MP Fiona Scott has also weighed in.
Appearing on Sky News last night, Ms Scott lambasted the Turnbull Government’s NBN rollout for perpetuating the digital divide in Australia, stating:
“The biggest concern I have with this issue today is that there is proving to be a tech divide between the city and the country.”
“NBN is just proving to not necessarily have a business case that’s going to work for regional people.”
Even people from the Government’s own corner are criticising the bungled project under his failed leadership.
Malcolm Turnbull cannot continue to ignore this crisis and the emerging pleas of his own party.
Both Mr Broad and Ms Scott agree, something needs to be done. It’s high time the out of touch Turnbull Government acts to address the NBN crisis impacting regional Australia.
