Thursday, April 24, 2008

ACT questions National policy

ACT leader Rodney Hide questions John Key's plan to invest $1.5 billion in broadband. In keeping with the thinking that drove the creation of the Regulatory Responsibility Bill Rodney wants better definition of the problem, clearer definition of the policy and identification of the unintended consequences.

Making no pretensions to knowledge about the telecommunications industry I cannot understand why private money isn't available for what is a apparently such a stupendous investment. It is not good enough for Key to argue that this is what other countries are doing and ergo it must be the most desirable solution.

Key is rather condescending towards ACT suggesting he might need to sit down with Rodney and explain how the telecommunications sector works. Perhaps Rodney can return the favour and explain how a free economy operates.

3 comments:

Will de Cleene said...

Maurice Williamson gave a cheery and detailed response to all of Rodney's worries at http://www.95bfm.com/assets/sm/187307/3/MauriceWilliamson.mp3. eg. The fibre is what we're talking about, not the DSLAMS or whatever. Imagine a railroad laid down with BYO trains.

I do not agree with Rodney's stance, but I can understand why he's doing it. There will be many people upset about gummint money being spent on anything. Better Act receives that disgruntled sector before Winston starts talking.

Oswald Bastable said...

Rodney would probably find it easier to explain time-division multiplexing to the head smurf!

Anonymous said...

Clearly somebody needs to explain to Comrade Key how markets work -- apparently he doesn't have any idea.