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Armchair_Politician
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Our tax dollars "hard at work". What a joke. This government is absolutely addicted to wasting our money. From the Daily Telegraph...
A PUBLICITY stunt to announce the first seven customers to sign up for a free trial of the NBN in NSW cost the federal government $140,000, it has been revealed.
The launch in independent MP Tony Windsor's northern NSW seat in May was attended by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, as well as NBN Co boss Mike Quigley.
The government has now admitted that the cost of the event, which the Opposition has labelled as a "giant publicity stunt", was $138,474.05.
It was organised to show the PM "switching on" the first mainland NBN connection in Armidale.
It was later revealed that only seven retail customers in Armidale had actually signed up for the free trail prior to the launch - despite 3000 homes in the area being NBN ready.
At the time, Ms Gillard described the NBN as "the greatest infrastructure project in this nation's history".
Answers provided by NBN Co to a parliamentary inquiry into the broadband rollout have also revealed that the government-funded monopoly has leased top-of-the-market premium office space in Melbourne and Sydney in which to base it operations.
Documents show office space has been leased in North Sydney at a cost of $3.1 million a year - or $512 per square metre. This would put the office in the highest quality space, regarded as A grade or Premium real estate.
In Melbourne, its office rental costs $535 per square metre at a cost of $2.46m a year.
Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham, who put the questions to the company during a Senate inquiry, said the cost of the launch was unacceptable and with four similar events subsequently held in other states, the total cost of publicity could already be close to $700,000.
"Such is Labor's propensity for wasteful spending that even the flicking of a switch comes with a whopping great price tag," Mr Birmingham said. "These launches have been little more than giant publicity stunts for the Prime Minister and other Labor ministers.
"If Labor had any regard for taxpayers money it would refund the cost of these blatantly political media opportunities. By throwing taxpayers money around like confetti NBN Co is living up to all the fears many had about Labor's new $50 billion monopoly company. With expenses like these it is little wonder NBN Co has sought approval for price rises 5 per cent above the inflation rate."
The documents also reveal that by December 31, it is estimated that 1427 staff will be employed at an average yearly wage of $145,000 per employee.
The government was forced to defend its decision to select Armidale and denied it was because it was in Mr Windsor's seat.
A spokesman for Mr Conroy said: "The government expects that NBN Co will make reasonable and responsible spending decisions."
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NBN launch party stunt cost us $140,000!!! (Read 356 times)
