4 July 2011
New rules to finally clear up the confusion between the NBN Co and Telstra?
Todays announcement of revised arrangements for the provision of fibre in new urban developments is a welcome step according to the Urban Taskforce. The Taskforces chief executive, Aaron Gadiel, said he hoped it would put an end to the current messy state of affairs.
Weve seen a lot of buck passing between NBN Co and Telstra, Mr Gadiel said.
These organisations have clearly been feuding with one another and its been impossible for developers who have been caught in the middle.
Todays announcement is the third announcement made to refine arrangements for the roll-out of the National Broadband Network for new housing, following changes announced in both July and December last year.
As a result of todays changes, Telstra, not the NBN Co, is now the last resort installer of cabling in broadacre developments approved before 1 January this year – and in more recently approved developments if they have less than 100 lots.
Mr Gadiel said that developers have been at their wits end trying to deal with conflicting views from the NBN Co and Telstra.
The rules announced in December required a decision on whether a new development was ˜broadacre or ˜infill, Mr Gadiel said.
These are imprecise terms that were always going to lead to disagreement.
We hope that the new rules will, once-and-for-all, clear up any misunderstanding between the NBN Co and Telstra as to who is responsible for what.
Mr Gadiel said the recent confusion had made it more difficult for developers to get on with the job of supplying new homes and business premises that the community desperately needs.
The NBN is a great idea, but its execution has caused our industry considerable concern.
The Urban Taskforce is a property development industry group, representing Australias most prominent property developers and equity financiers.
